Trust is Received
by Spartan322
Summary: When Hiccup downs the most notorious dragon to Berk, he becomes the beast, and gains the insight of the truth, but can he fix it before its too late?
1. Prologue

**Note: This is an unofficial adoption of I am a Night Fury's Trust is Earned, the original idea is from them, and due to being gone for almost 2 years, with the other official adopter doing what appears as nothing too, I have decided to try my hand at it, if no one minds. Due to this is being my writing though (from the point of IaaNF's TiE, come on, acronyms are faster) it will probably not follow IaaNF's original idea. Now to the true AN.**

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 **Before I continue, I will add that I may not always be consistent, I have other expectations of me, so I will be restricted at times, but I hope you like where I go with this. I also hope that no one minds this spin-off. Also remember this is not official, I've just felt this story was overdue for a new chapter and that the original author (and the supposed hand-off) have done nothing for over a year and a half.**

 **This chapter is for those who haven't read Trust is Earned, though a lot of information is cut out and spoiled, you will probably prefer to read it first, it's a great and unique fanfic concept. This is my own spin-off type of thing, hopefully no one minds, sorry if I screw it up, I want to add some of my own into it, but I understand if people dislike it, but thank you for consideration of your time.**

 **Also please note I don't own the original work of DreamWorks's HTTYD, and in fact, I don't own the original idea of Trust is Earned, I am merely expanding from the latest chapter I know of (Chapter 13).**

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Prologue

There was time when I thought not being me would be great, no destroying the village, no failed contraptions, probably not even considered a failure by everyone who heard of my name. How wrong I truly was? I suppose you don't realize how good you got till it's gone, right? Though it wasn't really that hard for me to lose it, now was it.

My name is Hiccup. Yeah I know, not a great name, it could be worse, a good name is supposed to scare off gnomes and trolls, as if we needed a name to do that.

What's worse than my name is what has happened in the past few days, so I'll just sum it up.

This miserable little island of near ice is Berk, a few days off of hopeless and just south of freezing to death, We're a Viking village here, and I suppose I was part of it, though not that you'd know it by looking at me, and that's before Loki got involved. I've been a problem for years, unable to get anything right, I've set the closest buildings to me on fire, on multiple occasions, so yeah, not the best Viking, and that's before you've known I was a scrawny fishbone, not much more than a toothpick for a Viking, can't even throw a bola, and that's where it all starts from.

I had built a bola launcher, it would allow me to knock down a dragon, much like a regular bola. I planned to show that I wasn't Hiccup the Useless, that I could accomplish something a Viking could be proud of. So what did I do? You think with my usual building wrecking process, this time would be no different from the last time I "actually caught a dragon", except this time, it was real, I hit a Night Fury, I mean I actually hit it, right out of the sky, the strongest fire breathing flyer to ever mark Vikings just gets brought down by this twig of a Viking, but I was very wrong to think that was a good thing.

Anyway, what do you do when you shoot something down, well you'd want to go get it, so I go out to the forest and find the downed 'devil'. I'm to kill it with my knife. But turns out I'm not cut out to kill, beasts or otherwise. I see it right in front of me, knife in my hands, ready to cut its body open and give its heart to my father. I took it down, it was my right to kill it, and it lays there helpless, scared...and prepared to die. So what do I do? I set it free, cut its snare open. What I expected was for it to pounce and kill me, but instead of the "kill me" part, it decides to drop me with its paws, and gives me a huge nick on my stomach, then runs off. I should have died there, probably by being mauled to death, I guess the Night Fury decided it was better to spare me enough to walk home so I could suffer like it suffered.

By the time I reached home, I raced to my room, but not before my dad decided I'd be a "great" new subject to dragon training. Did I forget to mention my dad's the chief of the tribe? Yeah, not all that great. So before I can tell him it's a bad idea, he goes off to prepare for another dragon nest hunt, cause that helps us a lot every time it fails, but we are Vikings, stubbornness is our blood. So, he's to go off tomorrow, while I sleep off a cut that's not even bleeding, thanks to what I suspected at the time as odd scabbing.

Sleeping it off with constant pain to wake me up out of nowhere, and occasional spasms, but next morning results in an otherwise normal wake-up. So I simply go to my usual blacksmithing apprenticeship, but since the hunting party is leaving with the chief, I just went with Gobber, the blacksmith of Berk, down to the dock to say my usual goodbyes for the dragon hunt. Nothing unusual, well other than Gobber making sure me and dad's 'Viking' feelings are expressed to each other (with an occasional poke at both of us). So the dock is clear of sails, me and Gobber start our return to the village and come across the other teens to be in dragon training.

That's when it hits me, pains in the area I was bitten, unbearable, mind numbing pain as it grew in strength, everyone noting my convulsing to the ground, trying to help me, or at least gather around, only Gobber bothering to check up on me. That's when he notes the mark on me, after ripping my shirt off and having Tuffnut, probably the most idiotic teen, call out my 'cool tattoo'. What turns out to be a bite mark grows into a giant fleshy scab, until it covers me up as Gobber and I (mostly me) realize what is happening, as Gobber quickly gets the healer, Gothi, to help me, for all the good that did. So I eventually start to feel the growth of this mark until my clothe stop fitting and rip out to my growing of scales and size. Turns out a survivable bite from a Night Fury painfully rips you into a Night Fury, not fun, and you can just imagine what everyone around me is thinking, especially since I'm in the middle of a village of Vikings with the most determined of Vikings who I've known most of life off to the side watching astonished. But that's when I blackout.

I wake up a short time later on a restraining cart, inside of the dragon training arena, it has a bunch of cages about a quarter the size of a house with giant logs locking the wooden doors shut, with a thick metal frame surrounding the area above, to prevent the dragons from using their wings. All in all, my day was just getting better, I wake to Gobber's face and I eventually prove I'm still Hiccup by writing Gobber's name and about his very personal axe, but they probably thought it as a trick, one which Gobber was embarrassed to admit was right, so I continue with a crowd of Vikings watching, trying to convince Gobber not to kill me. He instead releases my head slightly, and when he leaves, I learn to get out purely with strength, with the help of a Deadly Nadder, named Stormfly, named for her love of love of flying in storms, conversing with me to open her cage. When I do, she teaches me how to at least walk straight on four legs, which I'll simply note as odd, both for her and me. I end up not doing too well, so she then convinces me to release the other dragons to 'help' me walk better by playing a game of keep-away with shields. After the explanations for why I couldn't walk straight (with the prominent reason of me not being born a dragon), I make some friends out of the released dragons, and then I fell asleep next to the Nadder.

When I woke, I realized it wasn't a dream, but with how it's gone so far, that's less than surprising, though the Nadder needed some self-assurance right before my old 'friends' start coming towards the arena, and since no one wanted the dragons released, we almost fought to the death to get inside the cages (not that the Vikings were aiming to kill the 'training dummies'), but I eventually convinced the dragons to get back into the cages, after some pushing around and fighting. By the end, I chose to go into Stormfly's cage, and let the Viking training go one without me, though I did watch from afar with the help of an emergency lever inside the cage that no other dragon could figure out. So I watch as the fight between the Gronckle, known as Meatlug, and the teens, who fail to overtake the Gronkle to the point where I have to step in to save Astrid from a deadly blast of lava, point blank. This save breaks everyone's opinion of me (thinking that I'm no better than a dragon, who can write and defends humans, after just being one, yeah, did I mention stubbornness issues?), as everyone becomes weary of my actions to save Astrid. When she sought to get away from me, I found Gobber really didn't want me out, especially chasing her.

So that's when I eventually decide to pursue a conversation of runes to prove I'm not just a dragon, but with Gobber, it turns out he isn't so sure, preparing to send me as the next tribute to the gods probably. He decides to force me to be the next dragon to fight, and so I train with Stormfly to become the best fighting dragon I can, but turns out I'm still too Hiccup to do that right, so I simply learn to avoid getting in hit, dodging mostly, not that I do much better.

The next day begins with more training only to be cut short by this new test, where I get Stormfly back into her cage and prepare as best I can to defend against the Vikings.

So we start the fight off with only Snotlout attacking, the bigger than me originally, muscular, more Viking teen. He however failed, falling over Ruffnut and Tuffnut, the two twin Vikings who always fight or cause mischief, usually at the same time. That left all three out for a good few, leaving Fishlegs, the over analytical minded larger teen, and Astrid, the one girl I could comfortably say was a crush of mine, seeing as every other Viking our age also did. They both went to attack, though Astrid hesitated, while Fishlegs beat me at my dodging game, eventually they all cornered me, ripping me up a tad, but not before I learned getting hit hard enough can make me accidentally spit fire, which hit the weapon rack behind the Vikings. I eventually escaped the painful torture-fest. So I tried to walk back to Stormfly's cage so she could scare them enough to stop the fighting, though Snotlout came after me and I pinned him down, prepared to kill him right then and there. I didn't. I couldn't. I've been here before, though for Snotlout, I probably would have felt less guilty for it if his original treatment means anything, but I couldn't just kill him. So instead, I released him, while he screamed away from me, painfully close when he started. Eventually I got in the cage and let Stormfly do our plan of a little fear.

As she defeated everyone (including Gobber somehow), she scared everyone away, just so they would leave me alone (but not before playing a funny game of darts with Snotlout, purposely missing him every time). So they all stormed off scared while that left me without much more than my thoughts and ideas on how to deal with the results, though not like anyone went through the effort of caging me or Stormfly.


	2. Caged Madness

**So hey readers, I've noted about 100 views for just the Prologue, which I'm not sure what that means, but seeing as I've not released a fanfic before (even though this one is just barely starting, off of another one), I'll say is nice, so before I continue, I'll say, I'm trying my best to be consistent with new chapters, also to those who want more, I'm happily moving the story forward as best I can. Hope you like.**

 **Disclaimer: I doubt I need it, but as said before, HTTYD under DreamWorks and the original story was done by 'I am a Night Fury'. If you haven't read the Prologue, then simply I am making a spin-off sequel because no one has messed with that story in almost 2 years**

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Chapter 1: Caged Madness

Licking my wounds left me to think, trying to distract from the events of the past few days. But I've not really had time to dwell, and to put it bluntly, it's been painful, being a dragon's not all that fun, but being separated from the shop and from my dad...oh gods, if Gobber wants me as a training dummy, what would dad say. I know he'd be downright upset if he found out I was dead, but how is he going to take this. Is he going to chop off my head, or exile me...?

Stormfly, who was just dozing off finally snapped me out of my trance. "I'm sure that's good enough." as she snaked a colorful eye at me.

I stopped but it wasn't hard to dwell, the least of my problems being the wound, how is dad going, probably with the usual "send them running" fallback, except in this case them is me. What if he decides to use me for training, like continuing with Gobber's idea?

At least the training is over for the day, Stormfly all but scaring them off. I doubt I can rely on that working much longer though, they'll probably find a way to get her out of the fights, preventing me from doing the 'training' as much fun as it is.

"Who knew scaring the Scaleless would be more fun." As she laid off to the side of her cage, probably noticing somehow that I was disturbed.

Snotlout's face as he hung on the wall, I doubt anyone felt pity for him, it was pretty funny.

"Yeah, it was funny to see Snotlout hanging from the wall" I'm pretty sure that's not helping my 'I'm still Hiccup' case though. That weapon rack exploding was especially bad for their confidence in me. I need to find a way to communicate I'm still here, not like I haven't already tried.

Maybe I can sleep on it. Drifting into a darkened dream inside of the cage.

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Hiding by a rock near the arena, looking in, jotting down any notes on the one of the two unrestrained dragons, the Night Fury (who once was Hiccup) and the Deadly Nadder, just lying in the cage. So much about Night Fury's seem to be less than we thought though, not even a single horn, and its size is definitely less than a ten, but its firepower is more than a twelve, but that was probably obvious already, since the Night Fury that usually hangs around tears us apart, able to take out entire catapults larger than the arena in a single breath, though knowing its fire is more like an arrow of fire definitely adds to its already staggering attack. With it appearing to fall asleep though, it's hard to tell much more from it, though from previous attacks and even from the arena fight, they have at least a speed of seventeen.

The many interesting things 'Hiccup' could have us learn. I had to creep a little closer from my nice and safe rock, to get a better lookup, but my chances of not being spotted dwindle as I close in, but I need to know more. I'm on the edge, odd they haven't noticed me though, maybe they truly are asleep, then again, we did give the Night Fury a beating, it probably needed it, but the Nadder beat us, maybe it needed its 'beauty' rest, they apparently love preening their scales even when they attack. I eventually snuck to the edge in any case, near the cage, just off to the side of the opened cage, and while I wrote up some notes, and I dropped them, right into the arena, making a loud smack with the leather on the rock.

Oh no, that's not good, chances of me actually getting away without burning pants are in the single digits now. I can probably run from here and maybe only get a slight burn, but then I'd lose all my notes, I spent a facts filled hour doing that, trying to write up everything I found, and I just happened to drop my notes, I would have been fine if the coal stick I was writing with fell, I could get a new one, but how do I get new notes. That's when I realize they both saw me, looking straight at me, the Nadder seeming ready to dish out a second round, while the Night Fury seems rather relaxed, that's odd, you'd think with how we treated it, it expect another attack, prepared to avoid us.

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I heard Fishlegs drop his notebook, the leather woke me from my nap. Me and Stormfly looked right up, he was scared bad and probably ready to run, except he was hesitating, and I'm pretty sure I know why. Maybe this is my opportunity to prove myself, I mean how bad could this go?

"So the large one wants seconds." Stormfly responded, as we looked up, preparing to attack, using her own pleasure to stir her words.

"Hold on, stay here." I roared softly, trying to calm her, I'd say I've barely succeeded, she was still ready to attack, though she was more reluctant.

Slowly approaching the edge, the notebook was open to a pages explaining a Night Fury's appearance, I expected as much, Fishlegs would be the only one to risk himself for stats. As I approached, he appeared more nervous, it was much more obvious, but he still stood there, switching his eyes between me and the notes, of course only Fishlegs would risk burns for a few notes. Still, maybe if I could just get his notes, I could get them back to him.

As I picked the book up with my paws, I only flipped it. So I went a different approach, push the book up against the wall with my claws, then I tried my head, and now the book is sitting on top of my head. Maybe I can push myself up the wall, maybe I could get equal to the bottom of the arena's metal cage.

"What are you doing?" Stormfly quips from behind.

"Trying to get back these notes." Of course I knew she wouldn't get it, but how do exactly explain this.

I was just about high enough for Fishlegs to reach his notes, as high as my legs would allow me. I tried to look as non-threating as I possible, maybe get him to realize that I'm still clumsy me, but when your body has trouble doing a stance it was originally built for, it's kind of hard to keep any more control when you weren't born this way, especially when your naturally clumsy, I almost fell three times, barely clawing into the wall to prevent my fall. I was now as tall as possible, my tail was pretty uncomfortable under me, but all that matters is Fishlegs gets his notes back.

He reached down slowly, picked his notes very cautiously, just before I fell backwards, of course I'd make such a mistake, but at least I sent the message. Smirking at my success, well, half success, but still, it's better than earlier.

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Hiccup just handed me back my notes, or the Night Fury in his body, or is it the Night Fury that used to be Hiccup…does it matter, it handed me my notes back. Even with its Hiccup-like klutziness, this is unbelievable. Why would it do this? Does it even understand what these notes mean? Does it even know what's in the pages? What if it really is Hiccup? This is crazy, if it's truly Hiccup, I need to know, I'm going to need to figure this out. I don't know how much more of this lunacy I can take. But first I need to get out of here, maybe think over this, this dragon getting my notes to me.

I slipped away nervously, I don't how many people wouldn't be, even for Vikings, this is mad. I have to get over this, I need to understand what this is about. As I slip away, Hiccup has definitely left me questions to solve, even if it's not his mind in control.

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As Fishlegs slipped slowly away, that left me with Stormfly, the only other uncaged dragon in here. I have no doubt what I did wasn't at least a bit confusing and crazy, though what hasn't been these past few days.

"I need him to understand that I don't mean harm." I told her obviously confused face.

"You expect a few flimsy pieces of skin to convince the large one not to attack you?" Of course, dragons probably don't write things down for later, so just another barrier of explanation.

"It's important to him, he values it highly, and he'll probably come around because of it." Maybe I can get away with simple.

"Hey, it's not like my necks out for it." Maybe a little morbid, but that's fine enough.

"You should probably get back in the cage, with how much time we've spent, and as soon as they find out Fishlegs was close, they'll probably send someone over to lock up the cages."

"Fishlegs?" Oh great, a simple question, at least it's quick, even if it is rhetorical.

"His name," gesturing at the empty space where Fish was. "I don't know how I'd feel about another fight so…"

"Alright Hiccup." As she walked back into the cage, I was still left to dwell, I almost get killed by my own dragon training class, all cause I'm stuck in the body of the deadliest dragon known to Vikings, after getting bitten by the exact same dragon that I shot down myself. How much crazier could this be? Gods, how am I going to fix this?

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 **Ok, so sorry for the kind of short chapter, it's probably a quick breeze, but that I'll attribute not having done too much writing recently, and just getting back into it, so I'm going to try building up on that (without using filler). Also I'm going to try to get at least 1 chapter out per week, if not more, also just to add to that, school and other projects take up some time, so I will occasionally be taken up some weeks, hopefully I'll be able to leave notes for that, but I can't guarantee that. And last but not least, please review if you have a chance, I'd like to know what you think I did good and bad, and how many people like me to continue this. Otherwise thanks for reading this chapter.**


	3. Suspect

**Hey guys, so here is another chapter, I feel it's a little short, also, 300 views in probably just over a week feels like an achievement, if but a small one, so I'd like to thank those who faved, followed, and reviewed,**

 **And for Every1's Beta, I like both types of stories, they can get interesting, but I have to agree, those usually end up better, and I'll try to spin this properly, hope you like it.**

 **Also, and this is the last time I'll say it cause I think we all get that this is just fanfiction but HTTYD is not owned by me, but by DreamWorks and related affiliates.**

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Chapter 2: Suspect

WHACK

With my axe embedded in the tree, another frenzy of thought came up as I went to retrieve it. I was still stuck on that Fury saving me, and then it releasing a Nadder at us the next day. What game is he playing?

WHACK

Is he trying to get us killed? But then Snotlout lived, are they toying with us? Do they plan to let our guard down, just so they can strike, or escape? Probably not, they're just beasts, but then the 'use to be Hiccup' Fury wrote something, so maybe it has the ability to plan things out.

WHACK

This is crazy, to see Hiccup just become a Night Fury! How is anyone supposed to deal with seeing a fellow Viking turn into a dragon, let alone the weakling Chief son known as Hiccup?

WHACK

How did the town fool, and the Chief's son, even turn? Is this some type of curse by the gods?

WHACK

But then he saved me, the thing, that dragon, saved me. It got the Gronkle off of me, but why? What's its game? What does it want? I doubt Hiccup would have even done that, even if he had feelings for me (as most of the village boys had), and I know a dragon wouldn't have. Was it trying to save me? Why did it save me? It could have let me die, and no one would blame him, no one would think differently, so why? It's not like I had anything to do with helping it escape…was it playing with me? Maybe, but then he was defending me…Is this all just a game?

"AAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH" I let out in rage as, throwing my axe at another tree.

"What are we supposed to do?" retrieving my axe, searching for the gods above, who else could do this? A witch? Who is sadistic enough to turn a Viking into a dragon, a filthy beast, who!? Maybe Loki…probably Loki. But why? Wouldn't he get more pleasure from Hiccup being Hiccup? Did someone pray for this on him? No one really liked him, but did he really do something so bad to become a dragon?

WHACK

"What do I do?"

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It's been hours since I got my notebook back, eating in solitude of the Great Hall, but I'm still confused.

The Night Fury gave me my notebook back. I don't know if it understood what the book was, but I have no doubt the Fury was trying to tell me something. It looked at me as if it wanted to give the book back. Maybe it was Hiccup, maybe he was still in there. I mean the actions he's taken in the past few days since he became a dragon haven't been very dragon-like, he's saved Astrid from a Gronkle, he didn't bother to actually attack a single one of us when we attacked, he only avoided us, and even with the Nadder, it didn't take a single Viking's life, it did humiliate Snotlout, sticking him to the wall, but he got out alive, not even heavily bruised, or even badly cut or burned. That's the oddest part, the Nadder didn't even bother to kill, but no other dragon has ever done that, always for the kill. This Nadder had the upper hand, it could have easily killed all of us, whether roasting or spiking us in the back as we fled, but it didn't. It didn't even kill Snotlout, who was pinned to a wall. Stuck to the wall, prepared to die, ready to be slaughtered, no one would have expected him to make it out, and yet he was fine. And now the Night Fury handed me my book back. These aren't dragon actions, dragons don't act so innocent and protective of Vikings, and I'm pretty sure they don't convince other dragons to be nonlethal, what else made the Nadder avoid killing us? Every time it's been seen, it's attempted to kill, but not this time, this time it was playing with us, toying with us, definitely not attempting to take our lives. He had to have convinced the Nadder, which means…we way underestimated the intelligence of both species…and maybe the Night Fury is still Hiccup.

I need to know more.

This isn't just about researching a dragon, whether it can fly faster than a ship, or how many buildings it can burn down. This isn't just about what a Night Fury is capable of. This is about whether this dragon is still Viking.

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Since that encounter with Fishlegs, nothing was supposed to happen, other than some guards closing the cage on Stormfly, I probably should have gone in with her, at least I'd have had someone to talk to, but I preferred to stick out here, maybe do some more training in this body. In the end, I couldn't, I was exhausted and decided to take a nap, there wasn't much point to staying up for the next few hours, and nothing was planned.

That was until I heard someone getting much closer to the arena then usual villagers, I guess my senses are more suspicious then me, because they were the ones that woke me up, not me. But I still looked toward the direction of the slowly approaching steps, until I saw him. Fishlegs was standing there, curious look stricken across his face, searching the arena.

If he was being this obvious and curious, that only means one thing, I had to smirk, there was no way this could be any better. I doubt he could really see me though, it was pretty dark, and I'm kind of the same shade as the night, so his relatively limited vision already probably is unable to actually see me, and of course he wouldn't be surrounded by torches all night, right? That means I'd need to be close for him to see me. I need to make myself known.

So I walked near to the edge where Fishlegs was and got his attention using a very quiet screech, it took a second for him to notice me, but he probably knew it was me. I have barely an idea of what my face looked like, but if it was anything like that Night Fury I hit, he could probably see my eyes as I tried to look as innocent as possible. I would really prefer to have a conversation with him, but I know Fishlegs wasn't going to come down out of pure fear that I could be dangerous.

We've been standing here staring for about 5 minutes before Fishlegs asked me a question with a very serious face. "Can you understand me?" He probably could see my face clear enough for me to make a noticeable nod now, so I made a slightly exaggerated one to guarantee what I meant.

That drove him to a more serious question. "Do you know who I am?" And I again nodded slightly overdone. He then asked "Do you want to hurt me?" I shook my head now, making sure our little game of twenty-one questions would be easy to understand. I doubt he actually meant the question though, it was probably more to prove if I understood the question. "Can you write my name?" Of course his vision would be good enough to read something I wrote down here at this dark hour. But I nodded anyway, knowing what his follow-up question would be.

"Write my name then." Of course. I could probably do it too, but there was nowhere to write that where he could see. Maybe if I could find a piece of wood, that might work, some of the blown up weapons rack still wasn't cleaned up. Quickly retrieving a piece, I returned to Fishlegs and wrote his name and a little message, and gave the piece to him like I did with his book, on my head.

 **Sorry about the weapons rack and the Nadder.**

His face was in what appeared to be surprise, maybe shock, as he read the message. He was one of the most vicious of the attackers today, and I have a feeling he's starting to see he was actually attacking me the whole time.

When he finally got over most of the shock, he then asked "Are you serious?" to which I simply nodded. There probably weren't many questions left, and I doubted there would be anymore writing. "What was with that Nadder?" And I spoke too soon, not to mention a rather long explanation that had to fit a small, slightly charred wood plank. He dropped the wood plank back in front of me as I wrote on the back of it.

 **She was concerned about me, and I told her to keep you all alive.**

When Legs received it again, I knew his reaction would be back to shock, but I suppose I overestimated how much. He was surprised, but he wasn't outright disturbed. That was probably just as confusing as my current circumstance. Maybe his fascination with dragons has overcome his suspicion.

* * *

This weird. I didn't expect that.

I was just walking home when I noticed something. Fishlegs was just standing on the edge of the arena, staring for some reason. And that's when I heard a faint wail, and I understood what was there. It was there. I snuck up behind a rock as not to be noticed.

I then heard Fishlegs talking, as if asking questions, though I heard no response, and I wasn't close enough to actually hear the things Fishlegs said, but I knew that he was conversing with the dragon. And then Fishlegs reacted, so was it responding? What was it doing to respond, wagging its head? That's when I noticed Fishlegs bend down for something, it seemed like a plank of wood, but it had to be more than that, because he reacted, maybe disturbed, to receiving it.

He said something and then dropped the plank down into the arena. That's what he was doing. He wasn't just acting like he was talking to the beast…he was actually talking to it, asking it question, and the planks were the messages. It wouldn't make sense any other way.

It seems the dropped plank returned, and now I knew it was being shoved up. He barely reacted to reading this new message. This is very odd, I'd expect he'd be as surprised to get a response from a dragon as anyone else, especially him. He was probably the most enthusiastic about them. This is may be something I'll need to keep an eye.

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 **So I still feel like I haven't put in too much content here, but I've been a little busy though, so I don't know. Also, I hope you liked this. Don't forget to submit a review telling me what you think, and if you like it, a fav or follow would be nice.**

 **Also I feel that last section may be a little awkward, but to be honest, I wanted to see if I could put in a tiny bit of mystery, I think I may have done a poor job, but I guess we'll just have to see, if you feel like making a guess in a review, that would be cool.**


	4. Conflicted Offense

**Sorry guys for being so late, was too busy working on a mod for a game and writing and school (ok, maybe I manage time a little poorly, still sorry for it). Here is another chapter, but I must say I'm going to cut down on posting to at least once a month for cause school and to try other stories while writing this one. Just to be clear I'm going to abandon this, apparently there are a good few people who like it, and I would like to thank them for reading.**

 **Now to that one guest who dislikes how I handled the teens (especially for Fishlegs), everyone practically hated Hiccup, aside from Fishlegs. (And originally, Astrid acted indifferent of him) Also, as I said, this is a continuation of 'A Night Fury's story, and I would prefer to spin a story just after that, where Fishlegs is decided to be the only one to interact with Hiccup after the fight, and I think, with Fishlegs intellect (and borderline outcast personality and love of dragons), he'd probably be the most likely candidate for logic anyway.**

 **Also, thanks guys for the 700 views, 14 follows, 9 favs, and 5 reviews, I really appreciate it**

 **Ok, I'm done, maybe I rambled a little too much in my defense, sorry about that. Here is the next chapter.**

* * *

Chapter 3: Conflicted Offense

Waking slowly, I eventually shifted to all fours, seeing that it was early. One of the annoying things with these instincts is even a slight unknown sound will set them off, but at least Gobber wasn't setting up another "beat up the once Viking 'dragon'" yet, maybe I had time to prepare for his new "kill Hiccup" idea. At least this time Fishlegs knows what's going on, which reminds me to clean up the leftover wood we used to talk, I should probably just burn it…except, I don't know how to breathe fire.

I recall being beat in the stomach, and forcing out a ball of fire but I don't know how to trigger it myself. Well that, and I nearly choked on it anyway. Maybe if try to gag myself, it be good practice anyway, might come in handy for dealing with this 'condition.' That's if it's even possible to use fire without harming people or to burn down their house. To be honest, that's not really new, even the size of the fire probably hasn't changed.

Okay, get off the self-pity, that's not going to help, time to focus on burning wood.

I need to recreate that feeling of being punched, so to release what felt like my stomach, contracting my muscles below until a choking mist gathered in my mouth. All of a sudden the gas burst inside my mouth and what briefly felt like coughing released a blue light of death, which of course, had to be drastically off target.

So dragons need to choke themselves to shoot, how great is that? I just need to attempt to blast out my stomach, and then choke on the 'bile'.

Maybe I don't need fire then, maybe I can get by as a dragon for however long without it. Except I still need to discard the wood, maybe I could ask Stormfly? No, Gobber will be coming soon. Wait…I couldn't overthink more, why not just scratch out the wood, make it unreadable? Though Gobber might think it odd, probably noting it was me, but at least no one else will be suspect.

Well, I committed to scratching, now I just need to know what Gobber has for me today, because yesterday went so well. Hopefully he isn't planning to have the class attack again, but maybe that's too much to wish for, but at least Fishlegs won't attack, right?

That leaves the twins, who'll probably end up fighting themselves, Astrid, who was hesitant until Fishlegs attacked. That just leaves Snotlout, the only one left who will put effort into killing me, though he obviously wasn't competent enough to catch the notorious species I'm stuck as alone, so maybe I can survive…I hope.

* * *

This is bad, the village has been so solemn since Hiccup's 'infection', probably even worse when he released that Nadder, and while Snotlout being hung like a Snoggletog ornament was a funny, the joke was quickly lost when everyone found out why.

Traveling to the arena where the 'Hiccup turned Night Fury' was, my axe in hand…does Hiccup still exist? AHHH! It's all so frustrating, we're Vikings, we are supposed to destroy our problems, but even if Hiccup was dead, that give us a dysfunctional chief when he comes back. It's already going to be bad enough without his son, who could maybe still be alive in that body.

And that's if we actually convince the Chief of this madness.

* * *

When we get in the ring, I think I'll need to hold out on attacking. At least until I can make sense of this. Hiccup being a dragon is horrific, especially if he is still Hiccup, I mean last night was a great indicator of Hiccup still possibly being Hiccup. And I'm seventy percent sure that we are repeating yesterday's class, hopefully without the Nadder this time.

This is just unbearable. Hiccup still being 'human' if not physically, it's hard enough to take in, and returning to the arena only enforces the guilt of attacking him before I knew he was still possibly alive. He could still be there, and it's like Gobber wants us to kill him, whether he is in that head, I don't think I can attack him, not like yesterday, and I'm pretty sure the twins will continue whatever they do, so that leaves Snotlout and Astrid, and Snotlout has been having a hard time fighting 'Hiccup' so Astrid will probably be the only threat to him.

I really hope I'm right about not fighting…I hope 'Hiccup' survives.

Now that we're in the ring, Gobber tells us to fight Hiccup again. Except this time he secures the gate for the Nadder. After verifying that it's not escaping again, we see Hiccup get up, looking pleadingly between me and Gobber, and I doubt Gobber actually saw it, though I nodded to make sure he understood. I then look towards the only possible threat to Hiccup in the ring, but she looks off, much worse than yesterday, though I probably don't look much better, maybe Hiccup isn't as doomed as I thought, though I feel just as bad for her.

This time, Gobber suggests for us to take it easy since yesterday's incursion was so crazy, which is odd coming from the man missing and arm and a leg. Vikings don't take it easy, even in sickness, so Gobber has definitely lost it, not that I mind right now, what with avoiding Hiccup for now.

As Gobber said "Let's begin," I saw the twins and Snotlout take off after the Night Fury, but the twins, as usual, didn't reach their target before their coordination fell apart. And only Snotlout reached Hiccup, but he didn't have any luck when Hiccup dodged every attack thrown. That may have been slightly odd, but there was something much stranger.

Astrid hasn't even tried to attack, she's been staying, what is she doing? Could it be that time Hiccup saved her? I mean, at the time I was just as surprised, but I didn't think much of it, but I bet Astrid felt even more. Only more proof of Hiccup still being alive. Possibly.

* * *

So I've been sitting in here for just about four days now, which to be honestly, has been uncomfortable. Not eating in all that time, especially in this body, where I'm constantly in danger of being disemboweled by the people who are as close to 'friends' as I could have is not exactly fun. But I was right about one thing in this.

Astrid and Fishlegs no longer thought to attack me, and Snotlout was the only one willing to injure me, cause well…the twins aren't great at making a target outside of their family, specifically outside of each other, so only one fighter.

So I dodged all of Snotlout's charges and overhead swings, and then I knocked him down using my tail. None of the others came to attack, and eventually I decide that this might be my only opportunity to prove who I am to Gobber (and hopefully prevent him from making my father more depressed when if he found out of this). Before I start my plan I hear Gobber shout "Fishlegs, Astrid…GET IN THERE!"

They didn't really bother charging, but they seemed much more hesitant to attack, though Astrid looked like she was preparing herself to attack…times up.

I dodge another charge of Snotlout, and knock him down again. This time I pounce, knocking his weapon away. It probably looks like I'm going to kill him, he's under my face, with shoulders pinned by the front paws I'm forced to walk on. Everyone tries charging me to "save Snotlout", even Fishlegs, but before they can reach me, I let Snotlout get up.

He was stunned, expecting death or dismemberment, expecting to be mauled or shot. But instead, I let him up without a weapon, and then I did something that hopefully would shock everyone, as he got up, I tried to rub my head against him, as kindly as I could to convince them. It might be a dragon action, but what do you expect, I can't exactly contribute a friendly Viking head butt, and it's not like dragons are entirely incapable of handshakes.

Then, everyone froze, even the twins, who were just getting out of their own fight. I looked around as innocently as possible, both trying to judge their faces and to plead with my eyes, though I doubt anyone other than Fishlegs saw that. And that's when Gobber tackled me, though I didn't fight the pin. I didn't want to fight him, especially him, though I knew it would be pretty easy to escape.

I spent an hour afterwards being strapped down to the dragon cart, the one meant to restrict everything on me. They didn't restrict my left paw tight enough, lucky I'm left handed…pawed? Whatever.

Gobber then quietly said in a hostile tone "You act so much like Hiccup."

I scribbled into the wood below my claw before they could restrict it "That's cause I am Hiccup, can you not read this." That got Gobber's attention, and he looked very conflicted. He wasn't shocked, but he was very troubled, it seemed he still didn't get it, but just maybe I could find doubt.

* * *

After that Night Fury head butted Snotlout, who is now acting as if it never happened, we were sent out, escorted out of the arena, most to the Great Hall for a few drinks. I choose to go to the forest, I need to think. I have to think.

I lifted my axe for my first throw today, but I couldn't, I just couldn't stand throwing my axe. I don't get it, why can't I get over it, he's in my head, his face after being transformed, tormenting all of us, but specifically me. He was turned, eaten alive by the Night Fury, was he? It saved me from that Gronkle, it head-butted Snotlout, not menacingly, it didn't even fight Gobber, and hasn't even tried to harm us. Why must the gods' torture mark us with such cruelty?

"WHY!?" I scream menacingly to the sky, and I can't stand it any longer. I fade, I can't even take it standing.

* * *

How peculiar? The Scaleless is back again, trying to beat the trees, not even letting her metal claw go this time. I wonder what has her so worked up that she can't throw her claw at the trees.

That's when she screams out, as if daring the sky to come down on her. What is it about these Scaleless, they act as though they have lost it, or more than usual. Her scream carries across the forest, largely stirring the birds to fly, and I can't help but feel self-pity, but I get over it quickly. Then I noticed a something new about this creature.

It fell, not even bothering to move. Did it die? I doubt it, it still appears to be breathing, but what works up a Scaleless so much that they decide to scream then faint, many dragons scream in agony and pain, but what could cause them to just sleep, to become oblivious to everything and just sleep.

Well, whatever it was, it doesn't matter right now, I think I'll just leave back further into the forest, where I can watch the one other Dark One without obstruction, in case they decide to kill him.

* * *

 **So thank you for reading, so as I've said, I've been busy the last 2 weeks or so, doing a new chapter takes some time, just gonna say I'm posting soon as I finish a chapter, or soon after I do. Also, about the stuff I'm doing, I will say I'm currently doing a HTTYD mod for Minecraft and I have other stories, both original and fanfic, that I am writing, so that, along with school, really stretches me thin, which is why I am decreasing my update period (though I guess this update proves that).**

 **So remember, if you liked this, a fav and a follow would be nice, and a review for anything (outside of flaming me) is helpful.**


	5. Not As Friendly

**Hey Guys, so welcome to another chapter, but first a couple things. First, I'd like to say this story has already reached 1.3K views, which I'd like to thank you guys for, I did not expect 4 chapters (including the prologue) to be viewed that much, next up I'd like to thank the reviewers, I guess I did a good few things right to get those response huh? Also, I'd like to thank the favoriters and followers for faving and following. When I see people liking what I've written, it really helps a lot to continue writing. Now before I continue with the chapter, I'd like say (cause shameless self-promotion right?) I've just started (well more like 1 month ago, but I haven't really done a chapter since then) a second fanfic known as Shifted Positions, its relatively uncommon twist on a very underused concept so I'd like opinions on that if you ever get the chance**

 **And…now I'm done, go read…You still reading this author note? Well you can skip it now, nothing important here, nope, nothing at all…don't know why you bothered to read this here, it's kind of pointless, there isn't anything here, why haven't you skipped over this section…ok, I'll let you go, just go ahead and read, there is literally nothing else here…well you got to the end of this author note, congratulations, you did something that I didn't think you'd do…I've got nothing for you, so I'll just let read…now…bye…for now…uh…I guess.**

* * *

Chapter 4: Not As Friendly

I've probably spent a good day locked back up. I'm no longer chained to the cart, but sitting in the black, where even the natural night vision this body has finds difficulty, isn't much better. I was however finally given something to eat. A fish, carrying all the nutrition required for a 'human turned dragon' to live, right.

I'm pretty much stuck right back where I started…well mostly, I now had Fishlegs. At least he understood that I'm 'Viking', and it seems that Astrid is obviously starting to question. And if Fishlegs comes back tonight, maybe he and I can come up with a way to show Astrid. Though that is a pretty big if.

My best bet then is to think until someone comes, or I dropout into exhaustion, whichever comes first. Hopefully only the former in the case of Fishlegs, I doubt anyone else is noting me, maybe Astrid.

* * *

It's been a full sun cycle since they locked the other Dark One. I'm quite put out by what he did though. He did an unthinkable act, affectionately heading a Viking…in the chest. No dragon should ever do that, worse still they chained him for it. I was on the edge of heading to save him when it happened, but without an intact tail, the slaughter would be pinned on me, instead of the savages that cruelly locked dragons in that pit.

But I could sneak in during the night. We are the master, but I can't fly, that vine that hit me was painful, but even more is the injury from it. It took my tail's left fin, without it, I'm grounded for life. If I had the time, I'd probably indulge in a bit of self-pity, but the time and effort to get food and watching over the chained Dark One leaves me very little time to reflect.

Before I decide on a plan action however, that current of thought reminds me, I need to hunt. I haven't had much since I was injured, only a few small fish here and there from a stream hidden in the forestry.

I trudge into the forest, where the stream of little fish resides. If I'm lucky, I might find a pack of fish, hopefully I can just blast them out.

Strolling through the forest, lot of useless green, so much of it won't help my hunger, which I've only recently started hearing. If only I could use those leaves as food, but unfortunately, that didn't work out so well. I desperately tried (despite my revulsion) and now I understand the instinct better than ever to avoid it.

I got to the stream only to find no fish, I probably took all of them previously.

Well now I've got three problems, a Dark One in chains, an inability to fly, and now I have no legitimate way to sate by hunger. Now all I need is a Viking to find me…actually that gives me an idea.

The hunts always take food from Vikings, and if that's the case…

I sprint down towards the Viking nest, running as fast as I can out of pure starvation. As I rush to the edge of the forest, I notice Vikings close by, just outside it, near a spot where I smell a faint touch of fish, mixed with something more disgusting.

The disgust doesn't matter, my stomach nearly made me dash towards the tree-structure that held the smell, but I quickly knew that was a sure way to death. Maybe when…and then their gone.

I bound out of the forest as fast I can, break through the weakest wall, and rush to…whatever Viking put this food in, but what does that matter, I rip one up and stuff my face, until the disgusting smell returns. I retract my head to find a yellow and black thing…AH!

"Get away get away get away!" I screech speedily, backing from the tainted thing, I can't touch that stuff.

Then I heard a noise outside, seems they returned, oh no. If they see me…I think I should hide.

I get into the dark corner behind a few other Viking things. This is a very poor position, I might need to fight my way out. But as I contemplate on taking out the two, they move to the section where I opened the tainted fish thing. That's my chance, and I dart out before anyone else can notice, and quickly bound into the forest. Hopefully the Vikings will be too confused to follow.

I just have to hope.

* * *

I saw the whole thing, first the guards left the shed, then something black entered it, the screech and then the return of the guards and fleeing black blur. I can't believe it, the thing had at least twenty speed, I didn't even notice more than black. I doubt anyone other than the guards had caught it. Could it be possible though, could that have been the thing that got Hiccup, I mean, shouldn't of flown away, why would it stay…Uh never mind, I don't thing I want to know, but maybe I should get to Hiccup.

I walk as fast as I can without being noticed to get to the Kill Ring. I don't want to alert anyone with talking to Hiccup, with this luck of 'magic' we've got, he'll probably be blamed and killed out of sheer fear.

It takes me an hour to get to the Kill Ring, and no one seems to be around. This might just be my luck, just need to open the cage.

* * *

I've been sitting here for a long while, that fish barely withstanding, and I feel my energy low. It probably won't be long to die of starvation if this keeps up.

Then I hear the cage door unlock, if I did that, I'd probably be attacked, but someone is letting me out. I really hope its Fishlegs, I don't think I could handle anyone else sitting on the other side, I swear if it's Gobber chastising me for being Hiccup again (albeit not in a destructive way funny enough).

The door opens to Fishlegs, and am I happy to see him. Then I feel something behind me striking my tail, and then I notice my tail hitting the wall in joy, well, how's that for weird. I try to hold it down with my understanding of the muscles, though I've never really used them before, so it's hard, but it eventually cooperated.

I turn my attention back to Fishlegs, who is clearly uncomfortable around me trying to control myself. As if I wasn't standing in front of him, because this isn't awkward…a large kid talking to an onyx dragon that use to be the one guy who would burn buildings worse than dragons. Yeah, not uncomfortable at all.

"What was that about?" as he dropped a plank to me.

 **I'm still new at this. Why are you here?**

"Uh, there was a black thing, it had at least 20 speed…"

 **I'm guessing the whole island is gonna try to cut me up now.**

"Um…I'm pretty sure I was the only one to notice…well, besides the guards, but I'm not sure they saw him…it, it was really fast" he started stuttering a little. "Um, Hiccup…I can't stay here…not now, I…I'll come back later"

 **Please bring some fish, I'm not sure how long it'll be before I starve.**

"Don't they feed you?" and I gave him as close to a deadpan look as I could with this face.

"Right…" as he slipped out, closed and locked the cage. At least Fishlegs gave me a visit, and hopefully he'll bring some fish by later. Maybe I'm not as doomed after all.

* * *

The sun has passed since my little 'raid' on the wooden Viking food cave, hopefully the Viking's didn't notice me, or I'm worse then grounded.

At least I'm full enough to free the Dark One, and it's almost impossible for us to be noticed. Soon I'll be able to pull him out, then the Vikings won't be able harm him again.

I'll just commit to it now, I'll be able to get him before they notice. I race to the edge of the forest and dodge between the erected wood things. I eventually reach the sturdy cave trap. But there is just one problem.

How do I get in unnoticed?

The rock and wood would create a lot of noise, and we wouldn't be fast enough to escape without being caught. And then a quick smack, like a footstep…oh no, not yet, got to hide. And I just get off to the side in a bunch of shadowy rocks, they appear to do the job well enough. The Viking responsible for the footsteps is rather large, and approaches this trap, goes down a stone hill, and I hear a very slight screech.

I approach the hill and find an opening, this foolish Viking has given me a chance I can't waste it. Inside is a bunch of wood walls surrounded by nothing but stone, and lots of vicious toss-able claws all over on some holding trees. I'm sure the Dark One is behind one of these wooden walls, I'm guessing they can move, like the caves in their nest.

I'll have to wait for the large Viking to do whatever he is doing, it'll be much easier to escape if no one is around. That's when he pushed a stick and a large tree lifted from one of the walls, and then the wall slowly opened. The Dark One poked his head out from behind the wood, investigating the surroundings, this Viking just gave me the chance.

I leap out of the shadows, revealing myself to both the Viking, who seems shorter than the usual, and I stand between them with my teeth out.

"How dare you cage one of us?" I screech at him in anger, I could probably get away with killing this small Viking without anyone noticing quick enough, and I prepare for the pounce.

And I'm pounced on, by the Dark One, who manages to hold me down long enough for the short one to get away.

"What are you doing?!" I screech loudly, throwing the Dark One off me.

* * *

Being tossed up, it's kind of hard to get control, but I manage to land in a defense position in front of where Fishlegs ran, he quivers behind one of the weapon racks, guess he wasn't prepared to meet my distant tormentor.

"I'm protecting my friend." I tell him, trying not to raise alarm, not like the Night Fury's screeching is going to help.

"Friend?" he curiously knocks his head to the side. "He caged you. Our kind is not to be caged!" filling his words with pride, in no way similar to Snotlout.

"He didn't cage me…" and then I realized "Did you just say 'our kind'?"

"Yes"

"And what exactly is 'our kind'?"

"A Dark One, an unparalleled force of flight and shadows. You and I, the rare breed of shadows…" he stuffs in a good amount of pride, but I cut him off.

"Except I'm not a 'Dark One'." But with that remark, he just tips his head in confusion.

"Uh, Hiccup…" and that's when I'm reminded of Fishlegs. I really hope he gets out, I'm pretty sure someone is going to show up with this screeching.

"Shut up, short one" the Fury screeches…and that's just making the situation worse.

"Will you calm down, or the entire island will have all our heads." Referring to Fishlegs too.

"What do you mean 'not a Dark One'?"

* * *

 **Hey readers, so yeah, sorry for the delay, I did say I'd decrease at least a chapter per month, and while I'm sure you can understand, I still feel like I'm cheating you guys out a bit, but unfortunately, I have other things in life that take up time too, and I'm sorry for this type of delay.**

 **Well…now that we got that out of the way, I'd like to ask, what did you think of this chapter? Did I jump around too much, or was I portraying characters wrong? How about that end? Yeah, I hope I left you scratching your heads on that one, maybe a few people even see what's coming up, or maybe it's a red herring. Or how about how many licks it'll take to get to the center of a Tootsie Pop. The world may never know.**

 **Yeah, anyway, I'm hoping how I portrayed this is close to accurate. Also, thanks to those who have reviewed and, followed, favorited, and if you like this chapter a review helps a lot, and a fav/follow also help knowing people want more. Anyway, I think I'll be heading out, that lowly bear keeps harassing the window and the broom still isn't working.**

 **Until next time.**


	6. If Only I Was Lost

**So hey readers, I was hitting a brick wall for the past month, and I want to say I'm very sorry, I have to put Shifted Positions on hiatus until I bust that brick wall, like I did with this. (along with the fact that I might want to finish this up more before I get back to it, it's kind of hard to write two contrasting stories at once, who knew right?)**

 **For those who want me to update faster, testing should be over, and I have study halls now, so I should be able to work more on this story, (and with more relaxed classes hopefully, though my dad is still on my ass about school) I can only hope, but I think this story time is looking up.**

 **Anyway, for that one guy who I think was speaking German (a German friend had a hard time reading it, so IDK), if what he told me is what you meant (if it was coherent) then you just restated the summary (kind of) in German.**

 **Either way, I want to thank everyone who has faved, followed, and reviewed (well, except for that one guy who kind of made sure I couldn't read it, and even then probably only rephrased the summary)**

 **Oh a before I continue, let me apologize for not perfecting anything, I was really tired when I ended up writing most of this, so I'll probably have a few things to fix, but I didn't feel like making you guys wait, if you see anything, a review pointing in a general area would probably help, thanks.**

 **So now, without further ado, a cock-a-doodle doo, or some shoe…ok I'm done randomly rhyming, anyway, here ya go, hope you enjoy, I did a lot here, so here it is…the next chapter of Trust is Received…**

* * *

Chapter 5: If Only I was Lost

"What do you mean?" I questioned the previously caged Dark One, but he is sounding more delusional the longer I talk.

"What do you mean 'What do I mean?' You made me into this…thing." I'm pretty sure this young dragon has been caged too long, even if he was only just caged, he is sounding senile.

"What did they do to you? What makes you think I could do such a thing?" gesturing to the stubby short and large Viking. "Dark Ones have no such ability."

"WHAT?!" he nearly screamed, and just as soon I hear the Vikings approaching. Just my luck, the rescue mission has gone suicidal.

"We need to leave, we can discuss this after I save you."

"Hold on" he hissed, though for what reason I don't know. He turned to the short one and does something with his claws.

"What are you doing?! We need to leave." We don't have time to play in the stone.

"Something that may very well keep everyone here alive."

"How can playing-"

"Just close your trap and wait."

"Trap? More like an ambush." I hiss back, offended by his tone, though perplexed.

"Just stop talking…and there." As he finished with his claw. "Now I'll go, but no biting anyone." As the shorter Viking left the stone cage.

"Why would I bite? It would only enrage the fake claws." His eyes made a very strange motion where one looked smaller than the other.

So we trekked out of the stone cave, and I could notice the flock of Vikings approaching, and few were holding fake claws. I'd suspect they didn't see us, so we should be able to easily slip away in the forest.

"Come with me, we don't have much time." I told him, which he appeared to reluctantly follow. As we reached the forest, I noticed when we entered that he looked back. "What are you doing? This is no time to ponder your caging."

"Don't make me slap you." He hissed, still staring at where he was binded.

"We can't waste time giving them a chance, we need to flee."

"Fine." he huffed dispassionately.

* * *

Oh, no. Two of them…well that proves Hiccup had definitely hit one. But Fishlegs did it again, but this time, he actually let the thing escape this time, didn't even bother trying to kill it. Though, if I was him, I probably wouldn't try to kill two of the most vicious dragons known on my own either, no Viking would. Maybe he wants to believe Hiccup is still there…well not anymore.

I need to make a move soon, or Fishlegs could destroy the island. But what do I do, maybe…just maybe. This better work, or everyone dies with me.

* * *

I'll be honest, I'm kind of glad that Hiccup escaped, though I don't like the prospect of the other Night Fury. He definitely wasn't complimenting my tunic. He is also likely the start of this mess, Hiccup was proclaiming seeing a Night Fury he shot down before he was transfigured, and what is the chance that there is another Night Fury besides those two on this island.

That reminds me, I never really bothered to study Hiccup, being a Night Fury, and a friendly one at that. I can't believe it. I am actually friends with one. Granted he wasn't born as one, but does it matter, I can actually get stats on a dragon that no one else has seen before this week. If that doesn't make you excited, then nothing will.

I'm glad he asked me to find him later though, I'll be able to prepare for notes on him.

Now the only problem is what the remaining villagers plan to do now that Hiccup is gone, I doubt "we" are going to give up on Hiccup. And I'm also guessing Gobber is going to try explaining this to the Chief. Hopefully he'll be intimidated enough by Night Furies that he won't devote the village to getting Hiccup.

May the gods not get us all killed.

* * *

So I become a dragon, get trapped and caged by my own village, befriend some of the caged dragons, fight my former peers, and now I'm being dragged through the forest by a Night Fury who denies he turned me into a dragon. This week is only getting better and better.

As we walked, I'm getting tired of trudging so far on four legs, I've not ran or walked around much since I transformed.

"Where are we going?" I ask in a stressed roar.

"What do you mean?"

"Well we can't stay in the open with Vikings looking for us, in the day, we don't blend so well, and I rather not be killed in my sleep."

"Just follow me" gesturing his head forwards.

We walk for another half an hour or so before we come across a cave and a good 100 or so steps was a cove with a lake in it. A pretty decent vantage point for avoiding patrols that come our way, I just really hope my dad doesn't come back soon.

"They can't catch us off guard here." He cracks in. "Now…how are you not a Dark One?"

That sparks some of my anger from the night he bit me. "WHAT?! You seriously don't remember turning me into this? THAT BITE?! I grew scales! I-" I screech.

"I don't remember biting any of their kind, not for a while."

"Are you serious?!" I pace around, stomp at every step.

"And even if I did, a Dark's bite isn't able to turn Vikings."

"THEN…then…how do…did you…but…I'm…" as what he said starts to root itself.

"I still think you've been caged too long, you're mad."

"Oh, I'm mad alright." As I regain some emotion.

"Either way, I have no idea what to do with you. How about you rest? We can talk about this afterwards."

"If that short Viking comes by, wake me, DON'T! HARM! HIM!" I nearly screech in emphasis.

"I'd wake you for every Viking, but if you really want me to be less aggressive with that mini-Viking, as long as he doesn't threaten me."

* * *

I woke hours later to that damn Night Fury slapping me with his tail.

"Just what I needed" I reply cynically. "Next time, how about you get a boulder."

"The one you told me not to hurt has come awfully close, I saw his fake claw, I shall kill him if he gets closer."

"Blame our stubbornness, I swear no one ever listens." As I tell the Night Fury to stay at the cave and go to see who I suspect is my week old companion.

He's was just above the canyon, on the side of it. With the dirt, I should have no problem communicating (or running out of wood). He sees me and is obvious distress, scared out of his mind that I may be the other Night Fury. At least he didn't pull out the knife.

"Hey Fishlegs" the dirt told my friend, who was exactly the person I was searching for. That definitely calmed him down a lot. "Could you please drop the knife? The other guy is very close to mauling you when you have it."

"Oh thank Thor, I really don't think I could take another encounter." As he throws his knife promptly. "Hiccup? Why did you run?"

"He was the one that bit me, causing this 'issue', and I thought he might be a way to fix it. Apparently not."

We go on explaining to each other the current situations, it seems the village is in high alert, searching for me, they also suspect a traitor. That's not surprising, even the part where curfews and boundaries are in place for anyone who didn't pass Dragon Training. My dad is gonna have quite a mess to cleanup. Also, apparently normal Dragon Training has started. Other than telling Fishlegs to avoid bringing weapons and telling him to come to this spot when we needed to talk, I had nothing new to tell him.

So settling the matters that we each needed to know, the worst of which meant Fishlegs maneuvering out of the village was difficult. Before we part, I tell Fishlegs to be careful, which he simply grunts and runs off. I just have to hope Fishlegs can get back here.

I return to the cave where my newest dragon "friend" is waiting for me. "What was that all about?"

"Just making sure you don't need to burn him next time he comes by."

"He's coming back?! Why can't I just roast him now?"

"Cause he's a friend who will make sure the village won't come to lynch us unexpectedly."

"You are a strange dragon, either way, I don't know what 'village' or 'lynch' mean but if it's preventing us from getting a claw to the gut, I only have to hope you're right."

"I already explained myself."

"And if I trusted you anymore, then I'd be crazy too."

And we pretty much continue the small talk, random discussion of either dragon life or Viking life, which still doesn't convince this guy of what I actually am. He keeps insisting he has no ability to convert people to dragons, which leaves me with two ponderous questions: What actually transformed me? And how do I fix it? And…what do I do when I'm normal? It's not like I can attack a dragon now that I know they aren't just random beasts, but I guess I kind of suspected that before I got BIT by this guy, which reminds me.

"What is your name? I don't think I should be referring to you as 'the Night Fury' or 'that guy' should I?"

"Names? Like when you assign a specific thing a word? Is that what you mean?" he says as I nod in repliance. "We don't really have names, I guess you have amnesia…"

"For the last time I was human, until shortly after you bit me."

"Yeah, and I'm a tree," he deadpanned "Either way, we don't really have names, speech, I guess, kind of handles it for us." I find that answer incomplete.

"How about Toothless?"

"What?"

"Your name, It is a trademark of yours, it's not like any other dragon can make himself 'toothless'."

"Wait, you want to give me a 'name' and you want to call me 'toothless,' I feel insulted, I have teeth and that's a horrible name. Surely you can't do a better name."

"Well mine's Hiccup so…" and he cuts off laughing hysterically, on his ass and back.

"Are…you…serious…you…yoooou…you chose that…as a name…tell me you're joking" he huffed between breaths. "You…you guys need to learn to name stuff" still trying to inhibit a laugh.

"I didn't choose it," I blurt blankly. "My 'oh so great' Viking dad gave it to me for being small" I pout sadly. Just the thought of his hunting party coming, whether he believes Gobber or not, is not a welcoming thought. Maybe I can rest it off. 'Toothless' warbles a sigh while in my despair.

"Take a rest, I'll wake you again if I must." And that's when I drop, eyes closed, mind dead.

* * *

I wake from that horrible dream. God being transformed was a horrible experience. Now I can participate in dragon training, but now I have to question, are dragons truly intelligent. I prepare to exit the room, only to find my dad sitting with his back to me, I was sure he was gonna be gone for a bit longer, but I guess he came home over my sleep.

"Seeya Dad." But he doesn't even acknowledge me, strange but not a big deal, walking and closing the door, and out to the village. There is yet so little activity. Only a few villagers, but maybe they've decided not to wake up together.

I walk through the village as if I don't exist, which is probably just slightly better than normal, at least no one is staring at me with that disappointment of a weak, clumsy "Viking" heir. I'd be relieved, but it feels like there's some looming feeling, something not good. But maybe it's just preparation for my usual days.

I reach the Kill Ring, and I see all my "colleagues," as much as a fly would call a spider friend, but peers whose names and skills I know nonetheless. It's however strange that no one, not even Gobber is making noise, the twins aren't even fighting…and that's where I know somethings wrong. As soon as I realize, a pain consumes me, and all of a sudden I see the world go dark, and every single teen raise an axe, at me, while the pain was eating me. They had blood red eyes, and charged me with as much strength as a winter blizzard, until a Deadly Nadder flew in, and disarmed every single one of them, which left Astrid and Fishlegs in a daze, while every other Viking was still angry. And then the pain stopped and I was sitting in a cove with Fishlegs and Astrid, prepared to fight.

And that's when I realize it was a dream, just as Astrid started…

* * *

"AHHHH!" I completely lose it, until Toothless tackles me.

"SHUT YOUR MOUTH! You'll give us away." He loudly whispers, harshly cutting me off.

I'm dazed from the dream, and breathing heavy I ask "Sor…rry, it's just…hard."

"You're taking it hard huh?" I'm not sure but, he looked distressed staring at me.

"Yeah, being a dragon that my village would celebrate in killing, just outside of said village, it's just…not great" I sigh.

"Even if you seem crazy, I'd prefer a Dark One not suffer."

"Now I just wish I was crazy."

* * *

 **So yeah, I hope you liked that ending of this chapter, I have big plans, and if you knew me well enough (or if I spoiled enough) you might actually get what I'm about to do. Anyway, I have interesting plans which I hope you will like. Before I go I will say, I had a lot of help getting through the breaking the wall I was at through music, specifically Saint Asonia, Avenged Sevenfold, From Ashes to New, and We As Human (and maybe a little bit of other bands) so I would like to thank those bands for the songs they make, as they helped me a lot, if you like Heavy rock, metal, alt rock or metal, might be a good idea to check them out.**

 **Also don't forget to fav, follow, and review if you liked this, and if you didn't a review of what I failed out would be amazing, (please don't be rude or mean though, critique is useful, rudeness isn't) and thank you very much for reading.**

 **(Oh and one more thing, I'm gonna try to post this story more often now that I'm only doing one, so I'm going to push for weekly updates, but if not, I can guarantee monthly updates until my dad or school takes my computer)**


	7. The Truth Behind?

**So hey guys, it's been way more than a week (it's nearly been three weeks? Whew, damn…) since my last chapter, which I said I try to post within, and I'm sorry for that, though I did warn about that, I still feel bad for letting you on due to my lazy ass self. I actually feel a bit bad for what feels to me like holding out on you (whether I have my own life or not, still doesn't feel like a good excuse). Either way, I worked hard to get this out and I hope you like it.**

 **Also, I've written so much on Word (curse Google Docs) that my paper-weight piece of crud computer started to bust up. So congratulations, I have had to create a second document to continue writing this. Either way, good document writing tools got no optimizations, and it make me sad :(**

 **And one more thing before I get you reading is I've been working more on Minecraft mods both for HTTYD and the Inheritance Cycle, so that along with the game development stuff I'm doing is taking up a good amount of time (which still feels like a lousy excuse). Also, sorry for this run on stuff, but this one is actually relevant, I've been thinking of doing other AU and fanfics on HTTYD and I might start up a one-shot collection for experimenting and prototyping so keep an eye out for that if you enjoy my writing.**

 **Not let us commence the party in which I properly spent half an hour smacking my head against the wall a day. :P**

* * *

Chapter 6: The Truth Behind?

Waking up enraged, I don't recall the dream, but that's not why. Fishlegs is causing problems, and he had released 'Hiccup' and his new friend. It's obvious now that Fishlegs is a traitor, and that he plans to side with the dragons, why else would he let other dragon escape with Hiccup? And Hiccup is not human, no other reason to side with the dragons, though I guess it's not Hiccup's fault, at least it's not his fault he turned. But Fishlegs sided with them without turning.

Even more annoying however, is because Fishlegs let the Night Furies escape, I can no longer train in the woods, and I'm barely even allowed to leave my house. As if I had any more reason to hate Fishlegs. I'll make sure his life is worse than Hiccup's for every chance I now get.

I'll however not expose him just yet. His "sacrifice" should bring some type of advantage against the dragons, and I know he will compulsively be writing, if I know anything about him, as long as he doesn't spread any false ideas, I'll use him.

Either way, the real dragon training should begin today, I change into my regular attire, and ready my axe on my back, prepared to kill dragons all the more for Hiccup's transformation.

* * *

So we all arrive at the arena, the stone still pristine, reflected in my axe. Here we are, finally ready for training, finally going to do actual training. My mind keeps returning to Hiccup, but that doesn't matter, I need to win this training, especially with Hiccup being dead.

"Finally, I was getting bored of Hiccup." said Snotlout, causing me, Gobber, and Fishlegs all to glare. "He was getting too easy."

"So you like fighting on your back and ass. I suppose charred is another great method, huh?" Gobber responded. It seems he's dealing with Hiccup well especially since it all happened under his watch.

"Heh, all he knows is how to fight lying down." Ruffnut retorted. "Yeh, charred and lying down…cause that's what he does." And Tuffnut being dumb. I prefer keeping my trap shut, makes ignoring those idiots much easier.

"At least I'd get a sweet burn." He tried to defend himself. Honestly, he couldn't have made it any easier for a comeback.

"Yeah, burn't corpses are in style" Gobber shouted back as he was no on the far side, near the cages.

"Eh, that wouldn't be much of a problem." I finally crack. "I'd prefer the Night Fury anyway"

"You and everyone else" Gobber told us, us trainees now about ten feet in front of him. "So, seeing as you guys already faced a Night Fury and lived, here is the Gronkle" As he raised a hand over a wooden lever on the wall

"Wait, aren't supposed to teach us first" Snotlout blurted.

"I thought you found my 'apprentice' too easy a fight." Gobber told us, pushing down the lever

"Well I…" Snotlout got out before the Gronkle busted through the cage doors.

"What is the first thing you're supposed to do?" Gobber struck out with lesser regard.

"Get a better axe" Snotlout blurted.

"Plus five speed"

"More fire" Tuffnut tried to chime in.

"A shield" I proclaim, in a near whisper, loudly. I swear the others want to get killed.

"Right. If you must choose between anything, always choose the shield."

As everyone went to get the shields piled up on the side of the arena, the rack busted up by Hiccup, but the twins start fighting again over one of the shields. And that's the first target for the Gronkle.

As Ruffnut slaps Tuffnut across the face with the shield, to which Tuff responds with "Ehh, not enough stars" casually, before she hits him again, knocking him out, right before the Gronkle launches a blast at the shield, knocking her down.

"Ruff, Tuff…you morons, get out." Gobber yells as Tuff gets back up, they slowly limp out.

This is going to be a productive day. Anyway, we remaining tributes gather around the dumb flying boulder, all holding shields, and its confusion of a target is obvious.

"Shields aren't meant to just keep your head on, what else confuses a dragon?" he inquires, to our clueless little group.

…

It takes a few seconds of dodging the Gronkle smashing into shields before I recall something I read.

"Noise?" I eventually reply. Damn it Astrid, should have known better.

"Yes, lots of it." He says unimpressed as the Gronkle attempts to blast me, as I move. Fishlegs then gets the bright idea of squashing his weapon against his shield…and I follow suit. And Snotlout eventually follows after, and we soon start surrounding the Gronkle, confused as sheep with a cover.

I make for the first strike against the dragon but Snotlout also goes for a strike and hits me with his shield.

"You idiot." Smashing his shield back with by axe, knocking him a foot away.

"Don't worry Astrid, I got this." And then the idiot prepares to throw his shield. How stupid could he be? Even throwing his weapon is less idiotic. But as he takes it off, the Gronkle throws another blast at him. Third blast, three more to go. "Snotlout, out!" Gobber yells. And then that dragon launches another blast at me. Four, come on, so close. It then redirects its attention to Fishlegs, and throws another blast at him, knocking his shield away, but leaving him otherwise unharmed. Then it goes to attack him, until I toss my axe at it, skidding off its hide, but that gets its attention. And it throws its last blast at my shield, before I get a chance to get out of dodge. I'm stricken to the ground, but Gobber comes in a smacks it around before grabbing it with his hook.

"Get back to sleep ya stupid winged boulder." He yells at it, stuffing it back in the cage, closing the gate. "As for you dopes. Tuff, Ruff, I'll stick you in the furnace next time I need to deal with one of you, and Snotlout, you idiot, you wasted a shield." He starts scolding our poor performance. "Fishlegs, you need to be quicker, there are no second chances out here, as for you Astrid," he points his hook at me, "Good job defending a villager, but you need to have a plan before you get yourself killed." He belated us.

Being scolded by Gobber as we left the arena made me think of what happened to Hiccup, he probably wouldn't help us at all, but still a shame, and that could have happened to anyone of us.

* * *

I made my way to train for a few hours, outside the village, but I make a trek back because Gobber want to talk, probably to scold us again, about dragon training. On my way back, I notice Fishlegs coming out of the forest around the same time as me. I don't need to bother questioning it. As we make our way back to the Great Hall, it starts to downpour heavily.

We move through the door to find Gobber, Snotlout, and the twins all eating more or less casually, though the twins were fighting over a bowl. Only they would stoop so low.

Me and Fishlegs grab our food and set down on the table next to the idiots (and Gobber) but Snotlout attempts to flirt with me, which he gets a punch to the face for, and ends up on the ground. He sets back where he was, I'm not in the mood for this.

"There you two are…" Gobber starts as we sit down, not paying attention to what's going on, which is apparently the twins finally wrestling over that bowl.

"So where did Fishlegs go wrong?" He asks in inquizzedly. No one bothered with a response, though Tuffnut got a smack from the bowl his sister now had. If I wasn't so dragged down by recent events I probably have responded, but Gobber and the Great Hall just melted away as I came back to thinking about Hiccup and his fate.

I started to drift asleep at some point, and when I woke up, I was outside somewhere, and it was the middle of day? Huh? Um…ok.

I then saw Fishlegs in a cove below me…did I follow him here?

And that's when I committed unconsciously to jumping down a hill next to me, down into the cove. I sneaked behind Fish, and while he was talking to a dark figure beyond him, I prepared to bring down on him, but my axe bursted into a blue ball, and I was tackled by the black.

It had vicious white teeth, growling with slit green eyes, before it bit me on my left elbow, trying to keep it away. The strange thing is I felt nothing, no fear obviously, but no pain or worry, no adrenaline, not even anger or sadness. I was stoic, blank, empty, as if everything was only in passing, and as I looked at my arm, I noticed something that shouldn't have been there before I heard someone yell "HICCUP!" to which I was startled awake by lightning.

Everyone was gone, and they didn't even bother waking me up, though I saw Fishlegs scramble out last, with no other Vikings in the hall, I was the only one left.

I opened the dragon manual that Gobber left at some point, probably while I was out, what a strange dream…

I open the first page of the dragon manual. The index.

"Dragon Classes: Sharp, Boulder, Strike…Mystery?" These classes seem rather pointless, but I start my look through the book.

"Scauldron, uses boiled water, read it" I pass the page.

"Terrible Terror, has venom, stupid thing never bothers" Pass.

"Thunderdrum, blasts it victims" Still not what I'm looking for.

"Boneknapper, Changewing, Timberjack, Snaptrapper, Zippleback, Nightmare, Fireworm" I just keep flying through uninterested, looking for my specific target, when I reach the end.

"Night Fury…Never engage this dragon…" Yeah no kidding.

"Offspring of Lightning and Death…Hide and pray it does not find you…" For the first time, that stir fear, or maybe concern, I don't know, but this isn't good.

Then outside snapped. I…can't sit there anymore, what happened, everything to this point, even Fishlegs and return of everyone else's 'normal'. I…I don't know, I just, I…I have to leave.

I close the book, exit the hall, and aim for my house, drenched. I need sleep, I can't wait here, dwelling on Hiccup. I need to get to sleep.

I make my way to my house, open the door, hearing my father asleep in his room and my mother nearly following his trail, I make my way upstairs, I just wish for this day to be over. I get dressed out of my battle gear and get into bed, drifting back to sleep.

* * *

 **Sorry, this is by far my shortest chapter so far, only 1818 words, while I try to aim for 2000 words because I've noticed that my stories come out best with that aim. (And it makes enough content to usually not overburden both me and the audience, aka you guys)**

 **So as you can see, I focused a lot more on Astrid, and I wonder if you can spy the direction. I feel like that first part was pretty decent, especially since it's something I was having a hard time writing, but I really feel like I ended this well, if I feel proud of any of this, I don't want to be or sound arrogant, but I'll be honest, that last part made me feel really proud (not the entire ending but 99% of it), and happy, and I hope you like it. Also I really tried to make Astrid more human here and flesh her out a little. I must also add that this ends as a setup, the next chapter is where it'll pickup, just trust me on that.**

 **Also, as I said above, I may post that experimental one-shot collection soon, so keep an eye out for that.**

 **And don't forget you mugs, rate, comment…ops wrong place :P**

 **But yeah, if you liked this, favorite, follow, and whether you love or hate it, review, it helps. Until next time, this is a guy with a broken wall and maybe a concussion, signing off.**


	8. Suspicious Dreams

**You know what I need honestly…some art. No I'm not begging for it to be made, just stating a fact on it being the last thing I haven't got to look more professional.**

 **Sorry for being serious, let's get to something more wacky (or maybe not, seeing as I haven't written anything less than serious and intense, IDK)**

 **Anyway, I'm not gonna joke, I wrote this in less than 24 hours from the last chapter. (that's pretty big, this is only the second time I've written more than 2000 words within 24 hours, and that was last done on an original story that has gone nowhere since last summer, and never on a school night) Don't worry, this is actually highly thought out however, I made sure (I've been thinking a lot about how to do these scenes sooo…you'll see)**

 **But yeah, this was fun and quick, so maybe I'll move even faster, so if I can, I'll try for two releases with a week, which practically means sporadic updates.**

 **(However, I've noted a bit of a fanfic drought comes along, especially on the week days, and though that since lots of people have school, that doing one a week consistently, if I can, might make more people joyful, and maybe held over until people start updating more)**

 **Anyway, I would also like to say this puts me at about 18,000 words in total, so maybe about 16,000 of story, and I've never gotten that much of a story before, and this was my first real public story (even if it is a fanfic, so what? :P) too so that's pretty cool, and nearly at 3000 views. I seriously must thank all the readers, favoriters and followers (I feel it's more considerate to leave them incognito, I hope they are fine with that…please), and especially the reviewers, and while most of them haven't given me too much, (but I still really like them, thank you guys, like seriously, I continue writing this with those who actually like this story in mind, and the most direct support I know is those who give me review, not to talk bad at the favs or follows, they tell me I'm doing a good job, but the reviews are, to me more personal, and whether critical or praise, they help a lot) it still feels odd, maybe even a bit overwhelming that anyone even wants to read my work. I know I adopted this, (and want to make sure you know I am a Night Fury came up with the original idea, I give more credit in the prologue) but it feels like it has grown into my own unique work (or hopefully different enough) and I want to thank all the supporters to this fanfic.**

 **Sorry for that sappiness, but I needed to get that off my chest, now, back to the minion bus, on a ride of my choosing you puppets. :P**

 **Now read on…**

* * *

Chapter 7: Suspicious Dreams

So my parents got out of bed, I'm having hard time really getting out for training, mostly because I'm not so sure about it. I was thinking, after talking with Hiccup that if a Night Fury can be reasoned with, even by a 'used to be Viking' dragon, then is it possible there could be more to them. Are they really fully beasts? I know that's traitorous as thoughts can go here, but last time ignore "traitor" thoughts was with Hiccups, and that went over well the first time. I could continue my research on the dragons, but maybe I need to look at them in a new light, maybe they aren't as bad as we treat them.

And with that, I'm out the door, heading to training. I meet the twins arguing, again, along the way. I try to avoid interacting with them, which I kind of succeed in doing, until we reach the door. Tuffnut starts spontaneously talking about how cool Hiccup's transformation, to which Ruff hits him again and then start wrestling again, before Gobber breaks them up.

Inside the ring was Astrid, with a suspicious glare, Snotlout, boastful as always, and now the twins, finally prepared to fight something. I on the other hand just want this to be over, when Snotlout asks about the wood walls standing around most of the ring.

"You'll see" is all Gobber gives us, then he moves out of the ring and locks the gate. I gulp, this isn't gonna be good.

He instructs us to move into the labyrinth of wood, and I guess he opened the cage, and eventually I figure out it is the Nadder, from the squawks.

It climbs the walls and looks around. We have shields, but I'd prefer not to get blasted.

"Our lesson today is all about attack, Nadders are agile, quicker than most, your job is to out do it. Watch for the weakness, all dragons have one." Gobber kept a monologue.

"Find it…then strike" he declared. I on the other hand was too focused on the idea of less vicious dragons. That was until the Nadder nearly burned my head off, but I ducked, it then launched its spines at me. When I was in the clear "Uh, how many of us are supposed to survive this?" I blurted, running from the blue dragon.

Eventually, running around for about twenty minutes, everyone but Snotlout and Astrid get out of the maze, and soon Snotlout comes running out with Astrid and the Nadder knocking down the wood. When they reach the ground, laying scrambles of the oak behind them, they prepare to fight, but Astrid's axe is taking out and she is knocked back by the Nadder tail, hitting her shield. As she is flown back, the Nadder just looks at us for about 30 seconds, nothing threatening, before Gobber starts fighting it back into the cage. That gets my mind working even faster, while it did hurt Astrid, was it doing it purely out of self-defense? Does it really want to harm us? Or does it just want to escape?

Those thoughts left me to be the last one in the arena, which actually plays more to my advantage, and I make my way through the village to the forest entrance I usually take, avoiding all other villagers, getting back to Hiccup.

I reached our last meet spot. He was waiting for me, but dug in the dirt **You forgot to dump your weapons by the way**. Opps…I smile innocently and toss my weapons away. **Doesn't matter, he feels it be safer for us if we are both in the cove.**

"Won't you be trapped in there?" I question.

 **Yeah, but he taught me how to use these wings to jump and glide, it was interesting.** That sounded a bit disconcerting to me, but I guess it solves one issue. I make my way into the cove while he glides in.

When we are both below, I start up "I can't sneak out too long you know, they still have curfews."

 **Then let's not waste time then…anyway, Toothless-**

"Toothless?"

 **The 'real' dragon, has been teaching me a few things, how to survive as a dragon and. It's a bit odd how they aren't as bad as we assume, it's like none of this was his fault, either way, becoming a dragon seems to be a lot more life changing then I thought.**

I glare at him timidly, but a bit unimpressed "Really?"

 **Yeah…well, anyway, I think our best bet is to continue this charade, at least until I can solve one of these dilemmas. I'll be honest here, I don't think it's the dragons that are the problem.**

"Yeah, says the dragon" I give cynically.

 **Nor do I believe we are really in the wrong, there is something going on, and since I have no real choice, I might as well try to get to the bottom of it.**

"Yeah, I guess that's fine, however, I'd still like to gets info on the less vicious side of dragons, I've been having some doubts, maybe I can convince some with enough evidence."

 **I doubt they'll believe that even if a dragon saved them from** **Jörmungandr. Either way, be careful, I don't want my only 'human' friend and connection harmed or worse.**

I guess we are friends, though his only human friend? I guess the Night Fury could be one since it seems to protect and teach him, but it also did change him. "Yeah, I'll try"

Then I heard a ruffling, probably the wind. "Did you hear that?"

 **Smells like one our peers**

"Oh no…" I worry "I knew Astrid was suspicious of me, but did she really follow me?" whispering it out.

 **Not sure, but I should probably hide, let's hope whoever they are hasn't seen me, though I don't know how to cover Toothless incognito.**

* * *

There he was, the traitor, and the more he speaks, the more of one he becomes. I can hear him speaking about trying to convince people. Now he is going too far.

I sneak my way out of the bushes, down the slim path, I swear I've been here before, maybe I trained here, but there are not many trees when I reach the bottom. It's like an unnerving "I shouldn't be here" feeling, but I won't let fear get to me, so I advance, slowly raising my axe, and then I run out.

"Why not just jump out before-" that traitor starts, but I swing at him, before my axe is blown out of my hands. Never even touched him.

And then I'm tackled by the shadows, and I peal my eyes wide. This was that dream, everything happened the same, last night, before I…I got bit by the being of harsh green eyes.

I feel pain, unlike the dream, its excruciating, but I don't react, I'm merely surprised. I wasn't indifference in the dream…it was shock, I was bit by a dragon. This dragon, the one Fishlegs was merely speaking to earlier.

"HICCUP!" Fishlegs yells, but I don't even bother noting him. I look up at the dragons eyes, its eyes, they're hypnotic as they dilate, fear clear in its face.

I look down my arm where the dragon bit me, it was bleeding, red all over my arm and clothes.

 _No What have I done? I…I'm sorry, I didn't…_ I hear, but I black out, unable to take the pain or the reality.

* * *

"HICCUP" I hear someone yell, but I'm still pissed at the weapon, this rage, I needed a release, and see a yellow head, and bite into its arm, and red squirts all over us. But…what?

I look at what I'd done…I…I just bit Astrid, I harmed Astrid. What have I done? I…Is that the beast they call dragons…that wasn't me. I had no control, and yet I did. What have I done?

I look at Astrid, just before she passes out, finally realizing what I've done, apologizing for what I've done. I retreat back beyond Fishlegs, scared I might harm him after what I just did.

"HICCUP?! WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?!" I hear Fishlegs scream at me.

I draw into the ground, hoping he would listen: **I had no control, I couldn't stop myself, I nearly killed…** I trailed off, realizing what I was about to do, if it weren't for Fishlegs, I would have killed her, I know I would, I was out of control.

 **She's not gonna believe I didn't mean that, she'll bring everyone, and while I don't mind being captured again, cause that was fun, but Toothless isn't going to let that go alive, he'll kill too many before he goes down, and I don't want him to die either, not yet if at all.**

"Then what you suppose we do? She needs Gothi, we can't leave her here, she'll bleed out and it'll only get worse, but if I take her back, there'll be questions. Not even bothering, as you said, when she comes back around." He stammers timidly quick, but I understood it.

 **I know this'll sound stupid, but our only choice is to keep her here, at least until she believes us, and I mean she's already mostly stopped bleeding** as I gesture to the lying body. **Just patch her arm up with a rag or something, and I'll keep her safe and warm while she's out, can't risk you getting exiled, me being imprisoned, and my friend being killed.**

"You're crazy" He sigh. Both of us looking back to Astrid's injured form "But you've got a point…I suppose we have no choice, but how do I answer Astrid missing for the night?"

 **I'm not sure, maybe say she went to Gothi's for feeling sick, and if you got late, no one will question it late at night, nor travel up there. That's the best we've got for stalling, but you need to return really late.**

"It's probably already close to late enough to get away with that." He tells me, my vision making night deceptively brighter, I can hardly tell what time I should sleep at.

 **Well you better get her patched up and go then, I'll cover her tonight.**

As Fishlegs patches her arm up, and I lie down, pulling her in to prevent her from freezing or getting attacked.

If this wasn't a life and death situation, this would be pretty embarrassing, for both me and Astrid, and I'd probably be the creep in this. While it's nice and all, I prefer if I didn't bite her, at least then it be easier to manage…and convince her.

* * *

Ahh, it's so comfy, wince when was my bed this comfortable, I don't even want to wake up. It's just so warm and relaxing, I just can't get the nerve to spring out of bed, until I slowly regain memory of a dream. How many times do I have to get that dream, I just wish it would stop.

Then I feel my pillow shift…that's not right, pillow don't shift, and then my arm pulses in pain? What?

I jerk my eyes open, and realize I must be dead, only in death could it be this comfy? Was I picked by Frigga? Well if that was true, I should be training for Ragnarök, immediately.

I realize my vision is filed with black everywhere. Am I in Hel? No, I shouldn't be comfy still. I reach my hand out to the black, and I feel something smooth, before it lifts up and I'm blinded by a white flash. I have to close my eyes in pain.

Covering my eyes, they eventually adjust, and I look down on my arm, and see a black smudge, I try to rub it off, but it doesn't budge. And then I turn to see a huge black form beside me, green eyes…and my eyes widen…that is wasn't a dream, not this time.

* * *

 **I hope that makes Astrid look utterly confused (and lost) but anyway.**

 **So, I actually hope you guys are still blind to my plans, and I'll leave it at that. Anything I say beyond is going to be a spoiler. Literally almost anything said at this point spoils my plans, and I don't want to do that. It would ruin the experience, and I don't want to do that to you guys.**

 **Anyway, I really wanted to continue writing this chapter, but I didn't want to go beyond 2000 words, it wouldn't end as well. I needed to leave you on a cliffhanger too so I can whack you with my amazing skills…too arrogant? Again? Sorry, I'll stop now :P**

 **So now that is finished, let me add, I finished this super quickly, I had lots of fun writing this, and thought a lot about how to do this scene when I first came upon the Astrid encounter idea, and I actually finished this the same day I finished Chapter 6. (well, within the same 24 hours at least) I'll be honest, I have no idea how I did this so fast, but it just felt right.**

 **So anyway, review, renew, and refuse…oh wait, sorry wrong script.**

 **But seriously, reviews help me out a lot, no matter how critical (I would like non-mean ones, but sometimes even the harshest critiques have a point, but please be nice) or positive, and if you actually like this, a fav and/or follow would be cool. (though I like seeing the favs and follows count go up, it's really more for your benefit if you do like it, so yeah…) And one more thing…THANK YOU FOR READING (no, seriously, and for tolerating me, cause let's be honest, I'm a grade A ass :P )**

 **(Am I getting more eccentric with this story? I swear it shows in my ANs, also, am I shifting characters too much? Or writing too much dialogue, or do you guys like this?)**


	9. A True Monster?

**Before we get started, I need to think about a schedule, looking at my future for school, I can probably write a lot during most weekends, so my idea is I'm gonna attempt a Monday and Friday release dates. So I'll try to write to at least two chapters ahead of the latest public chapter and go for one release every Monday (because some of us all need a Monday pick me up) and one release Friday. If I miss one, which shouldn't happen if I follow myself, then I'll just skip to the next release day. I can't guarantee I'll pull this off, but this seems like a legitimate way to keep the drought from school away, hopefully a little bit. I will however try to guarantee a monthly release still if not a weekly basis, but I'd like to do sooner releases. So that's my schedule: Attempt releases on Monday and Friday, try to make sure at least once a week releases, and guarantee at least once a month releases if anything.**

 **Also, before we get started, recently the paper weight that is my laptop decided it was a good idea to break the plastic border holding it together, so I have to get that fixed, lets hope for the best**

 **Now let's get on with my cruel nature of story writing shall we**

* * *

Chapter 8: A True Monster?

I was bit by a dragon, saying it only happened once is weird enough, seeing it cover me with a wing it's even stranger, unbelievable even, especially after it attacked me. What is the oddest thing is its nonthreatening movements, it's not even bothering to do more than stare at me now. After I saw its eyes, I can't believe it. I need to find my axe, but I can't move, whether out of fear or shock, I don't know. It then scratches marks into the ground.

 **Please don't be mad.**

WHAT THE HEL? How did it…this was the escaped 'Hiccup' dragon? I mean I expected it to be, but it could still write? After all this time as a dragon.

 **I swear Astrid, I didn't mean it, I'm sorry.**

It still knows my name, I guess that's probably the least of a surprise, but just scratching my name makes me only more overwhelmed. What if it still is Hiccup? No, that can't be, it escaped with that other dragon, and attacked me.

 **Please Astrid, don't get mad…or scream.** It keeps scratching, and now I'm only more confused.

"You can't still be…" I start slow, shocked.

 **I'm still me.** I glare at him, still freaking out, unable to do anything.

"Who…are you?"

 **Inventor, failed Viking…mess up…Hiccup.** He grunts oddly, I flinch back. **Sorry, it's just ironic.**

What in Hel was that?

 **Sorry about biting you, I never meant to hurt you…I just…I had no control.** He continue.

"Where's Fishlegs?" I must be going crazy, actually allowing myself to talk with this thing.

 **He went back to the village last night, you've been here all night, I know it sounds bad, but we couldn't risk questions, and you healed well enough after the bite.**

He looks into my eyes and scratches in the dirt: **Please don't cry out to the village, not yet at the least, the other dragon will kill too many people and we'll both end up dead.**

"Why should I care about your life?" I rebuke harshly.

 **Would it matter if most of the remaining village dies? Do we really want to die knowing we got everyone else killed?**

"They would take you down before then." I phrase nearly as a question

 **No small group can face a real Night Fury and live.** He shakes his head. **You remember facing me in the kill ring? How I was doing well at the start? Its hundreds of times more with an experienced Night Fury. And he doesn't even want to attack, he doesn't want to risk engagement.**

"I…I…wait, the other one is still here?" I whisper nervously

 **Yes, I've rather he not die…I don't care if you believe me or not, but dragons don't want to fight or raid us. But at least believe me when I say he doesn't want to die, nor kill, and neither do I.**

I have nothing to refute it…he has a point, no small group could take out a Fury, and even a large group would be decimated, but can I really trust a beast.

 **Maybe you'll hate me for this, but they aren't as different as we thought, it's strange, but they don't attack us cause they want to, heck, I've actually befriended that Night Fury.**

"Says the beast." I reply harshly and my arm pulsates in pain again.

 _For once Astrid, could you ever not be so stubborn, this one time._ What the Hel?

"Did you hear that?"

 **Hear what?**

"I swear someone said my name"

 _Maybe she's losing it._ I hear.

"Who's there? Who's losing it?" I yell out loud

 _Oh Thor…_ I hear the voice again. _Astrid, can you hear this._

"Whoever that is? Yeah" I search around the cove.

 _Astrid, look behind you,_ I turn to see the dragon again. _I'm speaking to you, somehow…_

I scream, I can understand him.

 _Shush_ the Night Fury screeches, and the voice and roar mingle, and yet I still understand. _Looks like I wasted time writing in the dirt._ It says sarcastically.

"Oh Gods, Oh Odin, this…this can't be happening." For the first time in my life I start hyperventilating.

 _Astrid…Astrid, please calm down._ That doesn't help, I fall to my knees, looking to the ground, still feeling shocked. "I…What…what…it…"

And then my face is drenched, that gets my attention, and I glare at it for a second.

"WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?!" I yell at it.

 _What do you…oh…I'm very sorry about the bite, but it's not like…oh Thor…what if you become a dragon too?_

I stare back in even more shock at what that means. I look back on my arm seeing a rather large black blemish, I rub at it only to feel pain. "Ahh" The dragon looks at my arm, and then back at me.

 _We can't risk you transforming in the village, that's like the mark I got, I…I'm so sorry, but_ ,

"You're SORRY!? YOU BASTARD DRAGON, I'LL KILL YOU" I search for my axe, or dagger, or any weapon.

 _Please Astrid, we were afraid you'd kill me, so Fishlegs took your weapons back to your house, I told him I'd protect you._

"…THEN I'LL…" I trail off before being tackled.

 _I don't want to have to hold you down till Fishlegs gets back, but to prevent you from killing yourself or anyone else, I will. Nor do I want to see you captured like I was. Please, just try to stay calm._

"I…I…" I break down, 'Hiccup' lets me go and I roll over and weep, for myself, and for the past weeks.

I hear a rustling going on behind me but I pay it no mind, I'm too wasted on this tragedy.

 _Where were you, and why do you have another one?_

 _Don't hurt her, I'll explain._

* * *

"I bit her, I didn't want to…but…" I tried to continue, but I was choking up a little. I remember everything vividly, but I felt so powerless…I…

"You bit her? Why not just kill her?" He glares.

"I didn't mean to, I only want to stop her from attacking, stun and tackle her, to calm her down…but I…lost it" I start to stutter heavily. "I…I…harmed her…and now…she's going to become a Night Fury"

"Huh?"

"US! A NIGHT FURY…A…A DARK ONE" I yell stuttering, at the other dragon.

"You're sounding crazy again." He looks at me, giving me and Astrid odd looks.

I explain how the mark on Astrid is the same type of mark that I had when he bit me-

"I still don't recall biting you by the way" he interrupts.

"Well you did, anyway, she also can understand me, maybe even all-"

"Really?" He wonders pessimistically.

"Astrid…" I say, hoping to sound sympathetic.

"Just leave me alone." I hear her sob.

"That doesn't really prove she can hear us" He answers back at me.

"Please, Astrid?"

"Stop talking, please…just…leave me along" I hear her sob.

Toothless shakes his head, and I give up on convincing him about Astrid, he'll see soon enough. And then it strikes me, I learned a few days ago that Toothless can't fly, his tail is damaged. "Wait…Aren't you trapped here now?"

"If you help, I've got I covered." I stare back unconvinced, but let it slide for now.

"Anyway, I'm gonna shelter her, at least until she transforms, and if she doesn't by the end of the day, then I believe we're in the clear." I am however convinced that marks and being able to understand us means she'll transform.

"I bet a hundred fish nothing happens."

"I'm not gonna bother holding you to that." I tell him looking back to Astrid, her sobbing getting a bit louder.

I lay beside Astrid, and cover her under my wing, I can no longer really fear her. I do however sympathize her, maybe I can help her through this, at least until we find a 'cure'…if we ever do.

* * *

I can't believe it. Out of every impossible thing to happen to anyone, it had to happen to me. Why me? Why couldn't I have been struck by Thor, or drowned by Njörðr? Why did it have to be Loki's torture?

I'm still sobbing on the ground, and I come to blame the Night Fury, he attacked me. Rage grows within me, raising above the ground, to find I'm back in a shadow, unable to see the light. I look to the side to see green watching me back. I flinch back, nearly forgetting my anger, so when it comes back, I realize how much of a waste it is, this thing won't kill me, and last time I got angry it sat on me until I stopped. I go back into a fit of sobs, feeling pain coming from my arm.

I look back to it after reigning in control, to find the mark had grown.

 _I'm so sorry Astrid, I didn't mean it._ I stare back at the origin.

 _You might not believe me still, but I am really me, you saw me transform. And because I bit you, I'll help you get through it, Odin knows I almost didn't, and when you're ready, we can search for a way to fix this. Trust me on that._

"I've so lost it…" I mumble. "What about your dragon friend? What happens to the one who caused this, when we are cured?" I say bluntly

 _I don't know._ He tells me, shameful. _I don't want him dead, he's been really kind, a good friend, I might have killed myself last week if he wasn't around._

"BUT HE BIT YOU! WE'RE NO LONGER VIKINGS BECAUSE OF HIM!" I yell, frustrated at his traitorous words, if he even were a Viking anymore. My arm pulsates worse, and the mark starts growing slowly.

 _I don't think it was his fault, there is something else going on here._ He stares out of his wing cocoon.

I get angry and shove my way out of his wing, only to find its nearly mid-day.

 _With what happened to me, I honestly don't give you more than half an hour…if my bite is to…I'm…sorry…I never meant to…I just…I couldn't bare for you to kill Fishlegs…but I never wanted to hurt you too._ He stutters and my arm pulsates again. Focusing on it really hurts.

 _This is gonna sound strange…_ He started to choke a bit … _but you might…prefer…to take off…your clothes…at some point._ His stuttering was extremely heavy, and nervousness was apparent in his voice _Clothes don't really…uh…fit dragons well…and I think you would rather protect…your clothes from damage…if you can._ Now that's a creepy dragon, though still hasn't gotten over human decency? His embarrassment is something I can't ignore, but I'm getting frustrated with the dragon. _If you'd like…I mean, I could…um turn around…or you could hide behind a bush…I uh…um…I don't want to spoil your decency…I mean…_

"Just shut up, I'll undress behind a bush then, but you turn around" I reply harshly, seeing as if this is true, and after witnessing Hiccup's, I have near no doubt I'm 'infected', and I don't want to destroy the clothes I own…but what happens if we do find a solution? I wouldn't want Hiccup of all people to see me bare, and I really don't want to be bush hopping or trudging through grit without some layers. Maybe hiding my clothes are the only way.

I feel the pained arm heat up severely, then a stabbing pain spreading through my body. I go behind a bush, which was behind a rock, suspecting this is what happened with Hiccup, then yell "Turn around."

 _You'll feel a lot of pain, you might want to relax._ And that gives me an idea…what if I try to prevent it.

"I'm not gonna change." I mumble to myself "I'm gonna stay." As the pain increases and I strip my clothing through it, only in case I fail.

"AHHH!" After getting all my clothes off, fighting the infection. I scream and yell in pain.

 _Please, try to relax, fighting it only makes it worse…trust me._

I still fight with all my might, and only feel more pain as I see the bite smudge across my arm spread beyond to my shoulder, feeling it crossing my back, on my face, and down my side. It starts to cover me. "AAAAAHHHHHHH!" I howl in pain.

 _Astrid! The only thing you can do is let it go, it'll be faster…and less painful. We can fix this afterwards, you can't stop it._ He proclaims as my continued howls turn into growls. I don't even recognize my own voice.

"Nooo _ooooo!"_ As it covers the rest of my body and mutates the remaining Viking parts, causing my overall body to grow much beyond what it was. I've lost all my skin, all my hair…all my humanity, I'm no longer human, walking on four legs instead of two. Two wings separate from my body, pain in my back feeling them grow in, pain in my face as it shifts, even my lower back as a tail is produced. I'm not a dragon…I can't be.

I growl in the remaining agony. I can't be a dragon. "No…I…I can't be…"

"Astrid, is it…uh…over? I mean…I don't want to seem…indecent…or rude…but I don't want to be facing this wall all night."

"No. Don't look at me…I'm a monster." I go back to sobbing.

* * *

 **So that end might be a little weird, I was having an odd time with the 'bare' stuff, mostly cause that is probably me writing an truly 'indecent' scene for the first time, and this probably does make me sound like a sissy, but I'm purposely avoiding M rated stuff. I feel stories which go that route are much less professional. I shouldn't have to go in depth, or describe everything, as it does not pertain to plot, character arcs, or when it comes up, occasional fluff (some people consider parts of it fluff, I consider it filler, which I avoid, or try to, the dialogue for me feels like I fail occasionally at that) So this is me telling you now, I will never write for an M rating here, it just seems wrong to me and nor will anything I ever write be rated M.**

 **I'm just saying that to make sure you get that in later stuff (here and other fanfics), I will not write for M ratings. Better to get it out of the way now for people who like reading my stuff. (This chapter gave me a really weak excuse to say that, so I did)**

 **So now to a quick thing, turns out I was about 1.1k off the amount of total words last AN, and probably about 0.5k to 0.7k off the story words, so not too bad when I didn't check beforehand, though I am not gonna however correct any ANs, they are like journal entries, they describe what is going on in my head at the time. And I like it like that.**

 **Also passed about 3.3k views, so thanks guys for that. As for new reviews, already replied, but I'll just say, anything a review says (probably even flames, but please don't) is helpful, even mean negative reviews can be helpful (please don't be mean though, it's easier and better to improve if you are critical and nice).**

 **"A wise man can learn more from a foolish question than a fool can learn from a wise answer."** **(Bruce Lee) While we aren't doing questions, the idea still kind of stands.**

 **Another thing, I actually kind of like torturing Astrid, not in like a sadistic way, hell, I know she doesn't really deserve that (well not entirely), but because I feel someone who seems strong externally breaking down and acting human just feels like a greater character arc and more helpful to plot then how her side characterness in the movies was (somewhat understandable in the original movie, she barely had a role until the end and even then, but she was barely used for more than filler stuff in the second movie, and that, to me, felt highly wasted, I mean most characters were honestly not done efficiently, but hers was probably the most wasted) Another thing is I do plan to do a Hiccstrid kind of pairing (I was first on fence, but then a friend convinced me otherwise after he started reading some of it and I discussed it with him, so thanks mike) but it'll be slow, and when it does come up, fluffy and careful, when I do that, I thinking it through and making it as good as it can be. I will probably not be marking this fanfic for that, and as I said, no M rating, so not a problem.**

 **Now, thank you, my pocket monsters, for doing my battling for me, I shall throw you back into battle soon enough. Anyway, in all seriousness, fav and/or follow if you like this story, and review for some reason, praise or critique, it just helps to know that I can improve, or even that I'm already doing great.**


	10. A Promise

**I'm sorry, I missed my last two deadlines (I suppose you guys can infer why, but I'll explain below anyway), and because of everything last week had me doing, I've been struggling to catch up (which is odd seeing as I purposely tried to prepare for it, funny how I couldn't)**

 **Ok now...let's get right to it**

 **Time for some train wreck Astrid, and hopefully I don't screw up the fluff section, but I've rarely ever written them, let's see how good I can do…I hope this works…**

* * *

Chapter 9: A Promise

It's my fault, I bit her and caused her to become her worst enemy, living her own worst nightmare, I caused her pain, so I should do my best to help her through it. I fuel myself on my guilt. "Astrid?" I come around the boulder, knowing she wouldn't be this distressed if it weren't for me, and I hear her sob, her now onyx colored back facing me. I feel uncomfortable thinking about how she is no longer 'decent' but I push all thoughts out of my head, because I did all of this.

"Astrid…" I speak gentler, near a whisper, approaching her from behind. I've never really comforted anyone before, and it's especially hard when neither of us were born in our bodies. "Astrid…I'm so, so sorry I did this, but…" I gulp, hoping she isn't a full pessimist for this next statement. "…I'll do everything I can to fix this…and at least you still have your mind…you're not a beast…or a monster…you're still you." I stutter the last part, but hope she'll recover…but it did nothing. She continues to sob.

I lay beside her, careful not to touch her, she probably doesn't want that, especially from me. "Astrid," I say slower, trying to get her attention. "Astrid?" I don't know how to continue, so I move closer, to get her to look at me, I need to get her out of this, even if it kills me.

I get right next to her drooping wings, and I stick a wing around her, hoping to get a reaction of some kind.

Still fails.

"Astrid, look at me."

"I'm a monster." she sobs. I look over her, thinking of a way to get her attention. I finally decide I have to break her out of this mood myself.

I move to in front and lift my paws to her face to pull her out. Though they are bad at it, they work good enough, and get her to look me straight in the eyes. This is gonna be hard for me, so I take a deep breath. "You are not a monster, I will fix this, we'll be human again." Confidence spilling from my tone. I can only hope that helps.

"But…" she tries but I interrupt her there.

"I will, I promise, it was my fault, so I'm responsible" As question where this tone came from, and where it's been all my life. "And until then, we can survive as we are."

She looks down, still distressed. "Hofferson are never weak" she babbles. "If you hold that dear, then stay strong" I tell her "This'll all be over soon"

She looks back at me, still upset, but gaining some composure. Then she looks back down. She doesn't respond. "I'm not even a Viking anymore" she starts to sob again.

"Astrid, you are the strongest Viking I know" I need to get her out of this mood; I know I can fix this, all of it. "And you're still a Hofferson, you're still you." I hope she believes that, I know I do.

"I should kill you…" she whispers slowly, I flinch back a bit at her harsh, hoarsely calm and quiet tone. She lifts her head slowly. "You caused this." She starts approaching me "This is your fault, so…maybe if I kill you…" and she leaps at me clumsily, with my better Night Fury experience I tackle and hold her down, she needs to get through this first. "If you want to fix this, let me go, the Gods, Loki even, maybe they'll stop this, if I kill you."

"Astrid, listen to yourself, do you realize how insane that sounds?" I try to reason with her.

"Does becoming a dragon sound insane?" she hoarsely replies pinned under me. This is probably the first time I could ever hold someone down.

"Compared to how this started, I don't think Loki is going to care, he's never been 'appeased', he only wants a joke…no, we need to find another way." Though I do question some of our forms of appeasement, drinking sacrificial blood seems like an awfully strange method for a God to care about.

"I…I just can't be a dragon…I just can't be…I shouldn't be a dragon, isn't there anything to fix this." She twists her head to the side and close her eyes.

"I told you Astrid, we'll find it together, I'll make sure you return to your normal self" With a large dose of confidence.

She stares back at me, her now dark turquoise eyes looking straight into me, and I hope for a second that she stops hating me. "Really?"

"Yes…and if I can't be human anymore, then I'll make sure you can. I owe you that much." I look her deeper in the eyes.

"I…"

"I'll do everything I can…it was my fault" I drill into her.

"T…hank you…Hiccup" Her final surrender dazed me; it's the first time she's actually used my name, to refer to me.

"Of course" as I finally get off of her. She's still upset, but maybe what I said will hold her over.

I can only hope.

* * *

So my friend seems to be crazy again, he apparently thought the Viking in the cove would become a dragon, what kind of lunacy is that, and his insanity grows to say his bite was causing it; He is way past lost it. At least I'll gain a good pile of fish out of it; good thing I also taught him how to fish.

I walk to the cove he was left in, and he hasn't bothered to escape it for hours, maybe he's going finally after the fish cause he figured out he was crazy. I look in to see no one going in the small pond.

I jump into the cove, looking to see if my friend is around, and searching around in the now darkened cove, I find his tail sticking out from a rock, as if he was being obvious trying to hide. I jump on top of the boulder to try and startle him…and I see another figure, a dark one, under his wing. His wing covers most of it but it looks to be another Dark One, and it appears much more slender. I make the assumption that it's the first female I've seen since my mother. It smells a lot more like my mother. A female…then that means we're not damned, I…we have a chance. And they seem to have fallen asleep like this. If it's a female, it is probably his mate, and he finally realized his insanity seeing her again…seems like a good time to bug him for his lost bet.

"WAAAAKKKKEEE UPPPPPPPP" I roar smugly, he jumps.

"Ah! What…when did you get back?" He asks me, before he looks down at the other Dark One and flinches away, and the one beside him rises from sleep.

"What in Hel was that?" Her obvious feminine voice portrays I was right, and her frustration at being woken up also appearing in it. "Why would you yell in my ear?"

"I didn't, he did." And she turned to see me, with very interesting eyes, never expected her colors from a Dark One. She looked somewhat shocked?

"Hiccup?" So she used that stupid name too? "Is that…the Night Fury…?" Night Fury? Her too?

"Yes, he's the one who bit me" he told her.

"I didn't bite you by the way"

"I was shredded by a black dragon, which I shot down and trapped in a bola." I look at him oddly; I remember a rope…a bola? And I remember crashing, but nothing much else. "Three guesses as to what it could've been."

"I still think you've lost your mind, and I suppose your mate thinks she was a Viking too." I snidely reply.

Putting anger in her voice. "I was a Viking before he...wait, what do you mean by mate?" She glares back a very hate filled eye. What did I do?

"His partner, other-"

"WHAT?!" She nearly blasts my ears out. "WE ARE NOT MATES" She darts further away from 'Hiccup'. He looks at her jump from him and then shifts his vision to me.

"What gave you that idea?" He puts a tad of aggression into the response. Knowing him and his insanity, I'm unphased.

"You were sleeping, covering her with your wing, that's not a friend thing." It is a deep gesture.

"I was comforting her, it's my fault she's a dragon." Now my glare is questioning.

"That reminds me, what happen to that Viking you had in here?"

"You just surprisingly pissed her off" He told me, emphasizing surprisingly, glaring at me with a deadpan. Is his insanity really working on other Dark Ones?

"You really expect me to believe she didn't fly in here"

"You wouldn't believe me if it happened in front of you, I still can't believe it happened to me." He looks down upon himself, examining his left paw.

"We've been over this, now are you gonna be serious and tell me what happened-" but I was abruptly stopped.

"I already told, I'm being as serious as possible, you just upset her. Whether you believe me or not, she'll tell you the exact same thing," He pauses for a moment "If she doesn't try to kill you first." We both dart a look towards her.

"Why would she-" Wondering, I was cut off again.

"You really don't remember that bite?" He glares back at me.

"Do you remember the egg?"

"What?" He stresses the word, nearly hissing back at me unintentionally.

"You were hatched from? Do you recall it?" I slowly stare back at him.

"That's the thing, I wasn't hatched, I wasn't born like this," lifting his forelegs and shoulders awkwardly "And neither was she," he points back to the female. "I shouldn't have to keep explaining it."

"And assume I do believe you" With sudden conviction in my voice. "Say you are even Viking, and you both happen to have become Dark Ones somehow, how do you suppose you get back?" He looks back at the female.

"I...I don't know, all I do know is your bite and my bite were capable of more than anyone thought." He then looks downwards. "And I can't believe I brought Astrid into this, I can't believe I bit her."

"What do you mean by that anyway?"

"I never meant to bite her, I never meant to harm her, I just wanted to stop her axe from killing that friend, but I...I had no control, I...it was like I had complete control without any" He mutters that last one a bit, but I get the picture, though it's confusing. That reminds me of something but I'm not sure what. I recall hearing similar stuff before, but not sure what.

"That doesn't make sense"

"I don't know how to...uh, explain it, it felt like I was the one attacking, and couldn't stop, but I wanted to" Now I know I've heard that somewhere, but when?

Then Hiccup gets even more upset and just curls up right next to me, and starts to sob. "I can remember anger, fear, hatred, but it wasn't me" He sadly moaned. "I didn't want to harm her, I didn't want to bite her, she didn't deserve that." He sobs a bit louder. "I never meant for this" Good thing his 'friend is asleep now, she seems to have cried sobbed herself out like Hiccup appears to be doing. "I don't even recall much of the bite either, I just recall the anger, the last I remember is shooting her axe." His wings then droop slowly over his head. "Even as a dragon I'm a screw-up"

It feels odd seeing to dragons upset enough to actually sob, especially Dark Ones, in public. We are the strongest and these two felt so weak, it just isn't right. Oh, and another thing.

"You two can't stay here all night either, you guys should probably come into the cave."

"I told you she wasn't born a dragon, so she can't use her wings" His statement held less sadness and more cold fact in it. "And I'm not leaving her."

"How did you guys survive so long...doesn't matter, we need to teach her-"

"She already is pissed at you and enough at me, we need to let her alone for now, maybe tomorrow." He lifted his wings during the statement to glare back harshly

"Fine, tomorrow, I guess I'll just have to keep watch" I say frustrated and with thirty minutes of help from Hiccup get out of the cove to the cave, watching over the two."

* * *

Toothless leaves with my help, then I go back to Astrid. She's now asleep, and probably sobbed her eyes a bit over being a Night Fury, though she'd never admit it.

I curl up beside her without draping my wing over, watching over her incase something happens. Don't want the strange sneaking up on us do we. As I curl around I feel the need to speak to her silent body. "I'll fix this, even if it kills me, and I'll get you back your humanity" I say "I promise."

* * *

 **Whew, you have no idea how hard that was to get on, but I had fun. Also, sorry for missing last Friday and Monday, but when your school dislikes the way you think, they tend to not like giving you more chances. Either way I have a more difficult time with writing this and that has made me yet again unreliable, sorry :(**

 **(Also I made the schedule idea before my PC broke so it makes me sad to say that I might get stuck only releasing on either Fridays or Mondays and not both)**

 **In either case, I hope you liked my writing, I tried to pull some more heart strings and I hope I did, like I really hope I didn't screw it up. Tell me if I did, this is not the only time I'm going to do it and I rather know if I can take this as a learning experience or as a good example.**

 **Either way, I hope you enjoyed, and I'll be honest, I'm nervous over this chapter (if you couldn't tell) so please tell me the truth.**

 **Anyway, if you liked this story, don't forget to fav and follow, and whether you liked it or not, tell me in a review. (In fact, tell me if I should switch up these small ANs a bit, cause I'm thinking about it, and would like to know if you guys are too)**


	11. Loki's Design, Misery's Friend

**Bet you didn't see this coming. Anyhow, goddamnit, I can't believe I've not come back to this yet. Anyhow, sorry about that, and for my other stories, I was busy doing so much, I'm hugely stretched thin, first I was getting out of High School (I took a few GED tests to get out quicker, honestly, they were way too easy, but now I'm a year early for graduation...and that all happened back in like April or so), and the fact that I need find a job, with all my other projects and stories, this does not add up well.**

 **So now that I've explained my totally "valid" excuses, I've been stuck in loop for ages, deciding whether to get back to writing and what to write on, and it's been extremely hard to build up the effort to break my writer's block, which has been haunting me for a good many months. But I finally got a break from my procrastination-I mean schedule, and the since the HTTYD section on FFN seems to be slowing a bit, I've been pushed to get into it again. I still feel bad though.**

 **Also, my first vote went to Trump, so that's happened.**

 **One last thing, review response for all my stories are now going at the bottom for those who don't care to read them.**

 **Anyway, it's been a bit since I've written for this so lets hope I get this right. On to the story.**

* * *

Chapter 10: Loki's Design, Misery's Friend

I could hear a faint, light purr, like some panther were laying next to me. Really wish it would stop, but it goes on for so long, I have to eventually open my eye. That's when I see the most horrific and feared dragon laying its head right on my shoulder? And its also covering me with its wings? A Night Fury, laying next to me, sleeping by my side. I have to kill it quick, where did I leave my axe? Why is it always missing when I need it? I look at the beast's calm face, its as if he never expected me to attack him. I jump up and scream I looked towards the source of the purr. Instead of my perfectly planned attack of ripping it up somehow, I land on my back. What the...? Oh yeah. Great.

My outburst woke the beast, better known as Hiccup, who jumped in surprised, yelping, he pulled his wings back. His eyes dripping with concern, of which I prefer not to acknowledge. It's his fault this happened after all. "What's wrong?" I flip myself over, interesting how he can still sound so nasally when we're both dragons.

"Nothing." I try to get back up on four legs, funny how stupid they are, why couldn't I have become a godforsaken Nadder instead? At least I'd know how to walk. But in any case, I grunt while glaring rage at the source of all my misery. "It's not like I usually wake up to with four legs, two Hel ridden wings, and being covered in scales."

He looks upset, distraught, success. "Sorry." You better be. "Probably should get use to it...anyway, since we're both up, we should get some breakfast." He only threw coal on the flame, how am I even supposed to eat?

Instead of answering my yet unannounced question, he jumps into the pond in this Hel hole cove we have thus gotten stuck in, and all I can say about it all is how utterly ridiculous he looks. He is just wailing around, I don't even think he's getting fish, what fish lives in such a shallow pond? It was pretty funny, watching him flounder, but I refuse to even smirk in all my still fresh anger. And yet, in all that stupid, classic Hiccup chaos he catches a fish and throws it at me. I suppose no one can say you can take the Hiccup out of the manic who builds complex failures. Even if the worst Loki-devised solution ever encountered, he still manages to make a fool of himself, no matter his experience in the manner.

Disturbing myself from those thoughts however, the fish now lay at me feet, below my probable giant black head. "You need to eat... and you'll want to get it over quick." What? He expects me to one, eat raw fish, that he caught in his mouth, off the ground. Does he have no shame as to act totally like a, albeit clumsy, dragon? "That's disgusting, I'm not doing that, I'd rather starve." The foolish use-to-be wimp however was persistent. "No you don't." He was no longer looking at me, but at the ground, shamefully, as he should be. He thus pushed the fish closer to me, and then I felt my neck bend, and unconsciously I go from sniffing the... delicious meat...to then flicking the thing up, chomping it out of the air before swallowing. Oh Thor, that was disgusting... but it tasted so good... ewwww.

Before I'm given even a second to regret the instinct however, Hiccup gave me a sad nod and jumped back in. He eventually caught another fish, or I assume so, but I didn't care, I decided I rather be as far from any of this madness as possible and secured my own space by the rocks at the entrance. Taking a nap felt like a better idea.

* * *

So Astrid's wakeup call was about as much fun as any other early morning wakeup call due to shock caused by the fact you're a reptilian flying beast that almost everyone within a year's travel is looking forward to gut. Excluding the huge bounty, it's actually nice to be alone and have no one actually picking on me though. I even have a few friends, granted it's not amazing, Astrid hates me, Fishlegs is confused, and I have both a Nadder and a Night Fury as tolerable acquaintances willing to help me, and let's not forget I am the beast most feared by Viking-kind but it's definitely not the worst that could come of being bitten by a dragon I suppose, however unexpected a dragon bite transformation is. And even though Astrid is also brought into this mess, at least she understands that I'm still the not really-Viking I was before, just with a few more muscles, scales, and maybe wings. Honestly not what I was hoping for when I asked Odin to be more Viking, seems like Loki was the only one who bothered to answer it, but not much I can do.

Given Astrid deciding to take a nap by the entrance of the cove, hidden behind the boulders from the entrance. It's not the worst idea, but if someone comes around the boulders, they'll easily get the drop on her. And she'd be reluctant to help anyhow, she either wouldn't fight to free her of this curse, or if she did, she'd do it so she can go to Valhalla. Not exactly great for us, especially when I want to prevent anymore bloodshed, at least without understanding it all. In any case, she wouldn't even know how to defend herself if she did fight, and since neither of us would deal any better with killing any Berkians, our best bet is to calm them down. Given Fishlegs was the only one that didn't devote himself to the "Kill on sight" mantra, neither of us would likely live long against anyone else, especially after they see Astrid's clothing and saw me run away. All in all, I'm not sure how to fix any of this, not to mention the clueless dragon who can't remember the past week consistently.

I suppose we need a plan. So let's see, first problem, being stuck in this cove, and we're both unable to fly. Next problem, Astrid can't eat, let alone hunt in her new body, not without disgusting herself at the very least. That means first things first, teach Astrid how to handle her new body. Once we fix that problem, then we can both learn to fly, which should make living long less of. So next we'd need to find a shelter, a safe cave maybe, shouldn't be an issue once we can fly. Afterwards, we'll be able to pull as much as possible into figuring out this curse and how to fix it. And then maybe, just maybe, looking into the friendly side of dragons, if I'm not dead by then.

Obstacle one however, Astrid doesn't want to accept nor learn how to be a dragon. Hel, I think she's on the edge of seeking her own death. What can I do to get her to save herself, keep throwing fish at her? I severely doubt that is gonna do anything, but it's the best solution I have right now, hope she will eventually accept it.

* * *

Given three days of providing the fish, she still hates me, go figure. Not that I expected that to change, but I'd have thought she'd be convinced to at least learn to take care of herself. Instead she'll occasionally tell me it be better if either one of us had died instead, and I suppose one time I did agree, so I get her train of thought, at least partly. Maybe I shouldn't have expected much, I suppose not wanting to believe it and wishing it didn't happen is better for her mind.

And thus, given the past few days, Fishlegs came the yesterday to tell me Berk have started small, short search parties for Astrid, being ever wary of the "Night Fury" in the woods. He said they have yet to go far from the village to avoid meeting said 'Fury' but we both knew they'd eventually throw caution to the win, as always. So new top of the todo list, instead learn to fly.

Toothless came by as well, but he's only so far been a useless overgrown lizard yet. And when I asked him if he could help teach me and Astrid to fly, he told me I could remember how to fly if I "just submit to my instincts". When I explained for the upmteenth time neither of us were 'hatched' dragons, he got angry and told us to deal with it ourselves. It was funny then to watch him attempt to leave without my help, until he gave up two hours in and asked for help. I'll probably have to say sorry about whatever pissed him off later.

Back to matters at hand, it's been three days, Astrid is either consistently pissed or unwilling, the village is preparing to find Astrid, in slightly unexpected condition, Toothless is still upset, and we're trapped in a hole waiting for the villagers to attack us. Even if they believe I'm still me, the chance they'll care about that after seeing Astrid's tattered cloth is slim, not to mention the chance we'll be able to explain Astrid still being alive, unlikely.

On those thoughts, I'd begun to hear something, and given Astrid's reaction, I'm neither crazy nor alone there. Gobber's faint call searching for Astrid is loud enough for worry. And that's before more villagers are heard yelling for what they'd probably consider a dead girl now. Damn you Loki, this curse was bad enough, I'm still not sure how you got me to involve Astrid, but if we live through this, I'm finding a way to Asgard and making you pay.

I go to Astrid's side only to hear her remark, "I hope they end this quickly," before she directs her next statement at me, glaring her unholy anger at me, "Leave me, I'd rather die here." Not surprising, though severely drowned in more guilt than I'd felt in a while. "But what about finding a fix, a cure, wouldn't it be better than suicide," I ask her, praying she agrees.

"No, living the past few days as this beast, devised by Hel herself, is worse than anything I could have possibly experienced in her own depths, any torture beyond life has to be better then a second more of this."

I haven't given up yet, something else, triggered by the closing voices, reminds me of a huge alternative problem. "What if that other Fury comes back to try to defend us, I can't stop him from killing everyone, and what about if we're forced to defend ourselves against our will, I didn't attack you of my own conscious, and I think that'll happen to everyone else in that party if either of us stay here. Do you want that? To attack your own tribe against your will?" I'm not actually sure any of that is true, but I can only hope that embellishment will convince her.

She silently, reluctant and regretful if my Night-Fury-face-reading skills are correct, and resigns to listening to me, she gets up on her legs, and follows me to the edge where Toothless usually gets out. "I'm gonna push you up, you gotta climb those few ledges above, and then you're out, got it?" She nods, and so I lift her up, and as the the voices come really close now, she struggles hard to get over the lip, by the time she reaches it, the villagers are calling out, making it obvious they see me, so I turn towards them. They gasp in shock to see what looks like me trying to escape, and I'd bet that once they come down and see the clothes beneath the ledge, they're gonna assume I killed Astrid. I know they can't see her escaping now, but I hear her call out my name worried, so they definitely know she exists. "Get as far away as possible, I'll get out on my own, I'm not planning to let any of them get hurt, trust me, meet me at the beach tonight." Judging from the rustling above, I assume she left so I look back towards the gawking few villagers.

They have yet to move. I pray I can find some way to make it out and keep my promise with myself, Astrid, my dad, Toothless and Stormfly, and most importantly, my promise with Loki, because I swear after I fix this, I'm bringing him to Midgard and making him pay for this. And neither Odin or Thor, nor Hel or Jörmungandr, is stopping me from getting the payback for this.

* * *

 **OMFG, that took way too long to do. Sorry. Anyhow, I think I'll be getting back, hopefully I'll have another chapter up before New Years, but I'm not gonna make a promise on that. Now let's talk about that ending, sorry I left it on a cliffhanger, I usually hate doing that, but since I don't plan to take long, and since I have a very clear idea of what I'm gonna do here, and since I feel the groove to write again, I doubt you'll be waiting long, and you'll be very happy to hear**

 **Reviews:**

 **Thunderbird 22: Yes she did, she has a lot of that to do.**

 **Hiccup Horrendous Haddock 3: Thanks, really glad you're enjoying it, as for that other part, spoilers. :D**

 **Sisnol: Thanks for reading, yeah, I've been told the story works, tho bit odd by multiple friends, but I have chucked it up to mostly the adoption thing, I want to make this my own while keeping it original, and yet still fitting the original enough to feel as though they work together, so thus it's basically getting respun my way. And yeah, I tried to weed out the English errors but I don't have a beta and only a few friends previewing it. And sorry about the forgetting to update this, I tried to explain myself a bit above, but there really is no excuse, I will however try to write more for this.**

 **As always, thanks for the reviews guys.**


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